The next National Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled for Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In Nebraska, people with unwanted medications can drop them off any day at nearly 400 pharmacies across the state, said Joan McVoy, educator and registered nurse at the Nebraska Regional Poison Center. But Nebraska participates in the national event anyway as a reminder to people who may have recently stopped taking medications or who have had a family member die, McVoy said.
Medications that are dropped off will be incinerated. McVoy said flushing or throwing away unwanted medications can harm drinking water and the environment.
In the most recent drug take-back day this spring, McVoy said, authorities collected 7,416 pounds of medications at 34 sites across the state. Since January 2016, daily drop-off locations have collected 34,748 pounds of medications. The total does not include what has been dropped off on take-back days.
A list of drop-off locations can be found at the Drug Enforcement Administration website (https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html) or by calling the Nebraska Regional Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.
