Dover – National studies show that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, and that includes the home medicine cabinet. That’s why the Division of Public Health’s Healthy Homes Program is coordinating the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday September 12, 2015 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

During Drug Take-Back Day, Delawareans are asked to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medicines at 26 collection sites across the state. Identification is not required at the free collection sites, and no questions will be asked.

More than 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers obtain them through friends or relatives, or by raiding medicine cabinets, according to the 2011 Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Twice as many Americans regularly abused prescription drugs than the number who regularly used cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined.

Additionally, past methods for disposing of unused medicines such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, pose potential health and safety hazards. Though not at dangerous levels yet, traces of several drugs have been found in private and public water systems throughout Delaware.
DPH’s participation in Drug Take-Back Day builds on recently announced efforts to combat Delaware’s drug addiction epidemic. On August 28, 2015 the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) announced a large donation of the overdose reversing drug naxalone, and the week before, DHSS Secretary Rita Landgraf joined Governor Jack Markell and other state officials to unveil the state priorities for $4.45 million in new resources provided by the Fiscal Year 2016 to expand the capacity for residential treatment centers. In 2014, a total of 185 people died from suspected overdoses in Delaware, or about one person every other day. Many of those overdoses were the result of heroin or prescription painkillers. From January through July of this year, there have been 78 suspected overdose deaths.

Since the first statewide Drug Take-Back event held in May 2010, Delaware’s ten collection days have removed a total of 44,775 pounds of medicines from circulation. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sponsors the National Drug Take-Back days.

Delaware and Pennsylvania will have their Drug Take-Back Days earlier than the rest of the nation (September 26) due to Pope Francis’s impending visit to Philadelphia in late September.

The September 12 Drug Take-Back Day collection sites will accept prescription and over-the-counter pills, liquids, and cream medications, and even pet medications. Injectables and aerosols are not included in the program, and will not be accepted. Personal information should be removed from bottles and packages. More details are available at the Delaware Healthy Homes program webpage or by calling (800) 882-9539.

The Drug Take-Back Day collection sites, operating from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. are:

County Collection Site Name Address City Zip
New Castle Delaware City Town Hall 407 Clinton Street Delaware City 19706
New Castle Newark Police Department 220 South Main Street Newark 19711
New Castle Christiana Care Medical Arts Pavilion II 4755 Ogletown Stanton Rd. Newark 19718
New Castle New Castle County Airport Terminal 151 N. Dupont Hwy New Castle 19720
New Castle New Castle County Police Department 3601 N. DuPont Hwy New Castle 19720
New Castle Wilmington Blue Rocks Stadium 801 S. Justinson St. Wilmington 19801
New Castle Wilmington VA Hospital 1601 Kirkwood Hwy Wilmington 19805
New Castle Shipley Manor Nursing Home 2723 Shipley Rd. Wilmington 19810

County Collection Site Name Address City Zip
Kent Dover AFB Commissary 268 Galaxy Street Dover AFB 19902
Kent Cheswold Police Department 691 Main Street Cheswold 19904
Kent Dover Police Department 400 South Queen Street Dover 19904
Kent Heritage at Dover Assisted Living 1203 Walker Rd. Dover 19904
Kent Camden Police Department 1783 Friends Way Camden 19934
Kent Felton Delaware Town Hall 24 East Sewell Street Felton 19943
Kent Milford Police Department 400 N.E. Front Street Milford 19963
Kent Atlantic Apothecary 100 S. Main Street Smyrna 19977

County Collection Site Name Address City Zip
Sussex Dagsboro Police Department 33134 Main Street Dagsboro 19939
Sussex Delaware State Police Troop 4 23652 Shortly Rd. Georgetown 19947
Sussex Laurel Police Department 205 Mechanic St. Laurel 19956
Sussex Lewes Police Department 114 East Third Street Lewes 19958
Sussex Milton Police Department 101 Federal Street Milton 19968
Sussex Ocean View Police Department 201 Central Ave Ocean View 19970
Sussex Beebe Medical Tunnel Center 18947 John Jay Williams Hwy. Rehoboth 19971
Sussex Rehoboth Beach Police Department 229 Rehoboth Ave Rehoboth 19971
Sussex CVS Pharmacy 36252 Lighthouse Road Selbyville 19975
Sussex Selbyville Town Hall 68 W. Church Street Selbyville 19975

Delaware’s Drug Take-Back Day totals:
May 14, 2010 – 1,680 lbs.
September 25, 2010 – 303 lbs.
April 30, 2011 – 4,395 lbs.
October 29, 2011 – 4,465 lbs.
April 28, 2012 – 6,808 lbs.
September 29, 2012 – 4,561 lbs.
April 27, 2013 – 6,122 lbs.
October 26, 2013 – 5,258 lbs.
April 26, 2014 – 6,476 lbs.
September 27, 2014 – 4,707 lbs.
TOTAL = 44,775 lbs.
Source: Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Healthy Environments

If you are unable to attend the event, you can still dispose of your prescription medication at one of Delaware’s eight permanent drug disposal sites. View the list of sites here. Additionally, Verde Technologies recently partnered with the Delaware Prescription Drug Action Committee (PDAC) and the Delaware Pharmacists Society (DPS) to launch the first Deterra Drug Deactivation System statewide pilot program in the country. Verde will work with six participating Delaware pharmacies to provide free Deterra Drug Deactivation System packages to residents so that they may safely and conveniently deactivate and dispose of unused highly addictive and sought after prescription medications at home. To view the press release, click here.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

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