Spring Clean Your Home of Medications, Unused Drugs

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., many Washington County police departments in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) will and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. 

You can bring medications to the sites in listed below. The service is free and anonymous. 

Last October, Americans turned in 377,080 pounds—188.5 tons—of prescription drugs at more than 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and approximately 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. 

The collected approximately 259 pounds of prescription drugs last fall and .

In the three previous countywide Take Back events, the DEA and its partners took in almost a million pounds—nearly 500 tons—of pills.

Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone said the program addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  

"Medications which languish in home medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse," he said. "It is not a secret that the rates of prescription drug abuse in this country are alarmingly high. This is underscored by the sharp increase in the number of overdose deaths in Washington County—primarily among our young adults and children, as reported by Coroner Tim Warco.

“The first Take Back event in Washington County was organized by Chief Harry Fruecht of the Peters police," he said. "This event was such a success that Chief Fruecht has become known as a champion of this event. I commend Chief Fruecht for recognizing the need for this vital public service and the other police departments for this program which will save lives in our community.”

There are three drop-off locations in Peters Township:  

Chief Fruecht asks everyone to "please participate."

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