The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation. DPH 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. 

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.

DOVER (April 26, 2022) – Delaware will hold its 22^nd National DEA Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Delawareans can discard their expired or unused medications at locations statewide between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. There will also be Sharps disposals for needle disposal at select locations, and overdose response education with free Narcan available at select locations.

Organized nationally by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is operated locally by the Division of Public Health (DPH). The twice-a-year event is aimed at reducing the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse and has resulted in nearly 100,000 pounds of medication being collected since 2010. Properly discarding unused medications through this event is an important ongoing activity in the effort to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. Doing so reduces the risk of addiction by keeping prescription medications out of the hands of people who may misuse, abuse, or divert them, and helps reduce the risk of drug overdoses.

“The addiction for far too many people living with substance use first began because they had access to prescription medications from the homes of someone they know,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “By safely turning in your prescription medications that have expired, or that you no longer need, on Drug Take-Back Day, you can help fight the epidemic in Delaware while also making your home safer.”

According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 16.1 million people reported misusing any prescription drug in the past 12 months. The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. According to the state Division of Forensic Science, there were 515 overdose deaths in 2021 in Delaware, a 15 percent increase from the 447 reported in 2020.

In addition to the sites participating in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day activities, there are 28 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the state available year-round. Six of Delaware’s permanent drop-off sites are in Walgreens pharmacies and the other 22 are located in local law enforcement agencies. In addition to medicine drop off locations, DPH and community partners also distribute medication deactivation bags to the public to use at home. For a list of permanent collection sites and how to get a free disposal bag, visit www.helpisherede.com/understanding-addiction/safe-drug-storage-and-disposal.

The medications to be disposed of at the Take-Back Day locations must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Besides medications, vape pens and e-cigarettes will be collected if the batteries are removed. There are 25 locations participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back event. You can find the list of locations here: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.

Delawareans can bring any used needles to be disposed of properly at the following locations (https://www.helpisherede.com/documents/DDPHOHCR-34668-HelpIsHereDE-SharpsDisposalLocations_R1.pdf). The used needle disposal containers are only for public and not commercial entities, and individuals will need to sign a waiver stating that needles are from home use. Outside of health care facilities, an estimated 7.8 billion injections occur a year according to solid waste and recycling organization Waste 360. Once recycled, needles can result in accidental sticks carrying blood-borne pathogens. The safest way to dispose of needles is to use a designated Sharps disposal container which is delivered to incinerators so that accidental exposure cannot occur.

To further enhance overdose prevention and education efforts, three of the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back locations (Middletown, Wyoming, and Selbyville Police Departments) will also be offering Overdose Response Training and Narcan distribution to the public. It is recommended that anyone who has a prescription opioid or has friends and family who use opioid prescriptions or illicit drugs receive this training and the overdose reversal medication, Narcan. For other community trainings and where you can get free Narcan go to: https://www.helpisherede.com/overdose-prevention.

For more details about the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, visit http://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/hhdrugtakeback.html.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call DHSS’ 24/7 Crisis Hotline to be connected to treatment and recovery options. In New Castle County, call 1-800-652-2929. Or in Kent and Sussex counties, call 1-800-345-6785. For free 24/7 counseling, coaching, and support, as well as links to mental health, addiction, and crisis services call the Delaware Hope Line at 833-9-HOPEDE. To search online for treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states, visit HelpIsHereDE.com.

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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 will hold its 20th Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 24, 2021. Delawareans can discard their expired or unused medications at 26 locations statewide between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Organized nationally by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is operated locally by the Division of Public Health (DPH). The twice-a-year event is aimed at reducing the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse, and has resulted in nearly 100,000 pounds of medication being collected in Delaware since 2010. Properly discarding unused medications is an important part of the ongoing effort to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. Doing so, reduces the risk of addiction by keeping prescription medications out of the hands of people who may misuse, abuse, or sell them, and helps reduce the risk of drug overdoses.

“The prescribing of opioids for pain and the abundance of drugs in our medicine cabinets and communities, have been a strong force behind the opioid epidemic,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “By turning in your prescription medications safely on Drug Take-Back Day, you can help fight the epidemic in Delaware while also making your home safer.”

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people in the U.S. misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Since January 1, 2021, there have been 102 suspected overdose deaths in the state. Preliminary estimates for 2020 indicate 446 overdose deaths across Delaware, an increase of 3.5 percent from the 2019 total of 431 deaths, according to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science.

In addition to the sites participating in April’s Drug Take-Back Day activities, there are 28 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the state available year-round. Six of Delaware’s permanent drop-off sites are in Walgreens pharmacies and the other 22 are located in local law enforcement agencies. For a list of permanent collection sites, visit https://www.helpisherede.com/Get-Help/Prescription-Drug-Drop-Box.

On Drug Take-Back Day, medications for disposal must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Needles, aerosols, biohazard materials, medical equipment and batteries will not be accepted.

Delaware’s Drug Take-Back Day sites for April 24, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. are:

New Castle County:

• Christiana Surgicenter, Christiana Hospital, 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark
• Wilmington VA Medical Center, Main Entrance Circle, 1601 Kirkwood Hwy., Wilmington
• New Castle County Airport, 151 N DuPont Hwy., New Castle
• Delaware City Police, 407 Clinton St., Delaware City
• Newark Police Department, 220 S Main St., Newark
• Delaware State Police, Troop 2, La Grange Parkway, Glasgow
• Middletown Police Department, 130 Hampden Road, Middletown
• Delaware Department of Justice MFCU/Cadia Healthcare Silverside, 3322 Silverside Road, Wilmington

Kent County:

• Dover Airforce Base, Dover Commissary, 268 Galaxy St., Dover
• Rite Aid, 1580 S. Dupont Hwy., Dover
• Dover Police Department, 400 S Queen St., Dover
• Delaware State Police, Troop 3, 3759 S State St., Dover
• Felton Police Department, 24 E Sewell St., Felton
• Milford Police Department, 400 NE Front St., Milford
• Polaris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, 21 W. Clarke Ave., Milford

Sussex County:

• Laurel Police Department, 205 Mechanic St., Laurel
• Milton Police Department, 101 Federal St., Milton
• Delaware State Police Troop 4, 23652 Shortly Road, Georgetown
• Lewes Ferry Terminal, 43 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes
• Lewes Police Department at Lewes Board of Public Works, 129 Schley Ave., Lewes
• Delaware State Police, Troop 7, 19444 Mulberry Knoll Road, Lewes
• Rehoboth Beach Police Department, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
• Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View
• Selbyville Police Department at CVS, 36252 Lighthouse Road, Selbyville
• Selbyville Police Department, 1 Church St., Selbyville
• Delaware State Police Troop 5, 9265 Public Safety Way, Bridgeville

Find the most complete and up-to-date locations on the DEA’s Drug Take-Back Day website at: takebackday.dea.gov.

For more information about proper disposal of prescription medications, visit https://www.helpisherede.com/Get-Help/Prescription-Drug-Drop-Box#symptoms-of-an-overdose.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call Delaware Hope Line at 833-9-HOPEDE. To search online for treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states, visit HelpisHereDE.com.

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Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled can contact DPH by dialing 711 first using specialized devices (i.e. TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free and to learn more about how it works, please visit delawarerelay.com.

The Delaware Department of 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.

DOVER — Delaware will hold its 16th Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 28, 2018, to help reduce the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse. Delawareans can discard their expired or unused medications at 24 locations statewide between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Organized nationally, by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and locally, by the Division of Public Health (DPH), the twice-a-year event has resulted in 76,474 pounds of medication being collected in 15 events since 2010. Properly discarding unused medications is an important ongoing event in the effort to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. Doing so reduces the risk of addiction by keeping prescription medications out of the hands of people who may misuse, abuse, or sell them, and helps reduce the risk of drug overdoses. Proper disposal also protects our groundwater from medications being flushed down the toilet.

“I am grateful to the citizens across our state who take seriously their responsibility to rid their homes of expired, unwanted or unnecessary medications,” Governor John Carney said. “To reduce the toll that addiction is having on our state, we are combining education and prevention efforts like the Drug Take-Back Day efforts, with strong law enforcement and control measures, and an expanding treatment and recovery system.”

“Unwanted, expired or unused prescription medications are often an unintended catalyst for addiction,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “Participating in Drug Take-Back Days provides the average person a concrete way they can make a difference in the ongoing opioid epidemic our state is facing. By taking the important step of cleaning out medicine cabinets, you can make your home safe from potential prescription drug abuse or theft.”

According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. Additionally, national studies show that almost two-thirds of people who misuse prescription drugs get them from friends and family, including by raiding medicine cabinets, purses and drawers. DPH reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 293 people died in Delaware from drug overdoses in 2016, compared to 214 in 2015.

In addition to the 24 sites participating in Drug Take-Back Day activities, there are 21 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the state available year-round. Six of Delaware’s permanent drop-off sites are in Walgreens pharmacies and the other 15 are located in local law enforcement agencies.

Delawareans seeking help for drug addiction, medical providers seeking information on patient education and treatment resources, or individuals searching for information about naloxone training classes and how to use the medicine, can visit www.HelpIsHereDE.com. The website, Delaware’s one-stop-shopping resource for information about education, prevention and treatment options for addiction, also features short testimonial videos from Delawareans in long-term recovery, parents who lost adult children to overdoses, and others.

On Drug Take-Back Day, drugs for disposal must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Needles, aerosols, biohazard materials, medical equipment and batteries will not be accepted.
For more details and a list of permanent collection sites, visit DPH at dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/hhdrugtakeback.html or call 302-744-4546, ext. 4.
Delaware’s Drug Take-Back Day sites for April 28, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. are

New Castle County

• Christiana Care Surgical Center, 4755 Ogletown Stanton Road, Newark
• Delaware City Police Department, 407 Clinton St., Delaware City
• Delaware State Police Troop 2, 100 La Grange Ave., Newark
• Middletown Police Department, 130 Hampden Road, Middletown
• New Castle County Airport, 151 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle
• New Castle County Police Department, 3601 N. DuPont Highway (permanent collection site)
• Shipley Manor Nursing Home, 2723 Shipley Road, Wilmington
• Wilmington VA Medical Center, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington

Kent County

• Atlantic Apothecary, 103. S. Dupont Blvd., Suite 2, Smyrna
• Camden Police Department, 1783 Friends Way, Camden (permanent collection site)
• Cheswold Police Department, 691 Main St., Cheswold
• Delaware State Police Troop 3, 3759 S. State St.
• Felton Police Department, 24 E. Sewell St., Felton (permanent collection site)
• Milford Police Department, 400 NE Front St., Milford (permanent collection site)

Sussex County

• City of Lewes Board of Public Works, 129 Schley Ave., Lewes
• Dagsboro Police Department, 33134 Main St., Dagsboro
• Delaware State Police Troop 7, 18006 Coastal Highway, Lewes
• Laurel Police Department, 205 Mechanic St., Laurel (permanent collection site)
• Milton Police Department, 101 Federal St., Milton
• Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View, (permanent collection site)
• CVS Pharmacy, 36252 Lighthouse Road, Selbyville
• Lewes Ferry Terminal, 43 Cape Henlopen Road, Lewes
• Rehoboth Police Department, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
• Selbyville Town Hall, 68 W. Church St., Selbyville (permanent collection site)

For further information on addiction recognition, prevention and treatment, visit www.helpisherede.com.

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.

DOVER  – In the 15th Prescription Drug Take-Back Day event on Oct. 28, Delaware collected 5,518 pounds of unwanted or expired medicine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Division of Public Health (DPH). Since the first event in May 2010, Delaware has collected a total of 76,474 pounds of unwanted or expired medicine.

In addition to the 22 locations statewide on Oct. 28, there are also 21 permanent medicine drop-off locations throughout the state. DPH officials say the increase in collections can be attributed to the cumulative efforts of the permanent drug collection sites, which turned in their medications collected over several months to the DEA on the day of the event.

National studies show that more than 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers obtain them through friends or relatives, or by raiding medicine cabinets. The studies also suggest that twice as many Americans regularly abused prescription drugs than the number who regularly used cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined.

“The fact that the public is using the Drug Take-Back Day collection sites to dispose of expired and unwanted medications is very encouraging,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “At this time two years ago, we had eight permanent collection sites and have increased that to 21, thanks to Walgreens and local law enforcement locations, making it easier for our residents to access regardless of their geography. Since people often begin experimenting with drugs at home or from the homes of family or friends, it is extremely important that we hold events such as these to minimize the risk of drug abuse and addiction.”

DPH urges Delawareans to keep medications locked away and to drop them off at a permanent drug collection location when they are no longer wanted, necessary or have expired.
For recommendations on handling unwanted or expired prescription drugs, contact the DEA at 1-800-882-9539. If you were unable to participate in the Oct. 28 event, you can still dispose of your prescription medication at one of Delaware’s 21 permanent drug disposal sites. View the list of sites at www.DelawareHealthyHomes.org.

The cumulative collections from the twice-annually Delaware Prescription Drug Take-Back Day events are:

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.