Smith County now has two convenient drug drop boxes. These locations are available, 24/7, to discard unused, unwanted medications. Anyone can drop off prescription, over-the-counter, or veterinarian medicines at the Smith County Sheriff Department or at the Carthage Police Department.
To prevent accidental overdose, or intentional misuse, please properly dispose of all unwanted or out-of-date medicines. Keep all medicines in a locked medicine box or cabinet. Medicine Lock Boxes are available at Wal-Mart, Lowes, and online at Amazon.
4 Easy Steps for Getting Rid of Unused Medication
The risks for misuse and abuse increases with every bottle of pills you keep. Here’s how to safely dispose them.
1. Return unused medication to your pharmacy. This is an especially good option for opioids, ADHD drugs, and benzodiazepines (Xanax). Places that accept your unused medications are usually part of take-back programs that collect and destroy unused prescriptions.
You can search for an authorized collector near you at DisposeMyMeds.org or call the DEA’s Registration Call Center at 800-882-9539.
2. Drop off unused drugs during National Prescription Take-Back Day held the last Saturday in April. Twice a year, the Drug Enforcement Agency holds National Prescription Take-Back Day, where you can drop off all your leftover medications at designated police departments, fire stations, and other designated agencies in the community for proper disposal. Drop-off is completely free and anonymous.
3. Mail medications to a collection site. CVS, Costco and RiteAid sell postage-paid envelopes to mail any prescriptions, including opioids, and other medications to a disposal facility.
4. Use a self-service disposal kiosk. In addition to the Carthage Police Department and the Smith County Sheriff’s office, Walgreens also offers free, anonymous, and secure kiosks in almost all states, and you can drop off any medication. To use one, remove your personal information from the bottle or packaging and drop your unwanted or expired medication, including controlled substances, in the slot.
