September 29th Is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

DEA Has Partnered with Local Law Enforcement Agencies in the Western District to Take Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – September 29th is “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” and the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) has partnered with local law enforcement agencies in Western North Carolina to give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by safely disposing prescription drug medications at designated locations. Members of the community will be able to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs by bringing them to one of the 42 sites listed below for safe and environmentally responsible disposal. The service is free.

In announcing the event, U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins stated, “Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions in our country. Prescription drugs are the second most commonly used category of drugs, behind marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined. Events like this give people the opportunity to safely remove prescription drugs from their homes and put them beyond the reach of those who may abuse them. Prescription drugs are highly addictive and can devastate families that may suffer from the deadly overdose of a loved one. This is why it is so important that we offer the public the opportunity to safely dispose of potentially deadly medications they no longer need.”

Last October, DEA and local law enforcement collected over 610 pounds of prescription drug medications in Mecklenburg, Rutherford and Cherokee Counties and over 7,500 pounds throughout the state. On a national level, last April, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds – 276 tons – of prescription drugs at over 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners. This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines located in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – pose potential safety and health hazards.

DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s office encourage parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.justhinktwice.com, www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com and www.dea.gov.

Below is a listing of the 42 disposal locations set up throughout Western North Carolina. Additional locations are added daily. Please click on the following link for updated listings: www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index

In Andrews at Andrews Town Hall, 3 Wilson Street, 9:00AM to 1:00PM

In Asheville at Asheville Police Department, 100 Court Plaza, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Bakersville at Bakersville Pharmacy, 580 South 226, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Brevard at Transylvania County Sheriff's Office, 153 Public Safety Way, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Burnsville at The Prescription Pad, 730 East Main Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Charlotte at Pikes Pharmacy, 2133 Shamrock Drive, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Charlotte at The Shops at Highland Creek In front of Harris Teeter, 5810 Prosperity Ch Rd, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Charlotte at Morrocroft Village Shopping Plaza In front of Harris Teeter, 6701 Morrison Blvd, 8:00AM to 5:00PM

In Charlotte at Stonecrest Shopping Plaza, 7852 Rea Road, 10:00AM 02:00PM

In Cornelius at Cornelius Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Ave, 10:00AM to 4:00PM

In Cramerton at Food Lion Parking Lot, 202 Market Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Forest City at Food Lion, 668 S. Broadway St., 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Franklin at K-Mart, 395 Westgate Plaza, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Franklin at Walmart, 305 Holly Springs Plaza, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Hayesville at Clay County Sheriff's Office, 295 Courthouse Drive, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Henrietta at Hollands Furniture Store, 177 N. Main St., 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Huntersville at Harris Teeter-Northcross Shopping Center, 959 Sam Furr Road, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Kannapolis at Cannon Memorial YMCA, 101 YMCA Drive, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Lenoir at Foothills Pharmacy, 202 Harper Ave., 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Lumberton at Biggs Park Mall, 2800 N. Elm Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Marion at Lady Marion Plaza (near Sears), 1155 N. Main Street, 09:00AM to 12:00PM

In Matthews at Harris Teeter, 1811 Matthews Township Pkwy, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Mint Hill at Walgreens, 9202 Lawyers Road, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Monroe at Wal-Mart-Monroe, 2406 W Roosevelt Blvd, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Murphy at Murphy Police Department, 93 Peachtree Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Murphy at Hiwassee VFD, 7815 Hwy 294, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In N Wilkesboro at Walgreens, 1395 West D Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Pineville at Bi-Lo, 9101 Pineville Matthews, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Robbinsville at Robbinsville High School, 301 Sweetwater Rd., 10:00AM to 02:00PM

In Rutherfordton at Food Lion, 169 Railroad Ave., 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Spruce Pine at CVS, 12121 South Hwy 226, 10:00AM to 4:00PM

In Stallings at Stallings Police Department, 315 Stallings Road, 10:00AM to 4:00PM

In Statesville at K-Mart of Statesville, 1530 E. Broad Street, 10:00AM to 4:00PM

In Statesville at Statesville Police Department, 330 S. Tradd Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Statesville at Fun Station 2000, 1415 N. Center Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Troutman at Kerr Drug Store, 533 North Main Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Wadesboro at Anson Station at Food Lion, US Hwy 74 West, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Waxhaw at Waxhaw Police Department, 703 West South Main Street, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Waynesville at Ingles Grocery Store, Barber Blvd, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Wesley Chapel at Wesley Chapel Fire Dept, 315 Waxhaw Indian Trail Rd, 10:00AM to 2:00PM

In Wilkesboro at Wal-Mart, US Hwy 421, 1:00PM to 6:00PM

In Wingate at Food Lion-Wingate, 221 West Hwy 74, 10:00AM to 2:30PM