For more than a decade, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has hosted a biannual event called National Prescription Drug Take Back Day that provides the public with the opportunity to easily and safely dispose of unneeded medications. Riverside Health, in partnership with local law enforcement and the DEA, is proud to announce it will host events each April and October, for the DEA’s Prescription Drug Take Back program.
“Unused medications in the home can pose significant risks to individuals and families,” says Kemi Olatunji, Pharm.D., Chief Pharmacy Officer at Riverside Health. “By partnering with local law enforcement on these take-back events, we're making it easy for community members to safely dispose of medications while helping reduce the potential for accidental exposure, misuse and diversion.”
Since the early 1990s, the opioid overdose epidemic has been a growing concern across the country, involving both prescription and illicit opioids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that last year in the United States, approximately 101,751 people died as a result of drug poisoning. Of those deaths, 1,900 were reported in Virginia.
Please see below for date and location information:
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Drive-thru event)
City of Williamsburg Municipal Building
401 Lafayette St, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Drive-thru event)
Riverside Regional Medical Center – Medical Office Building
12200 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA 23601
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Drive-thru event)
Riverside Primary Care Mercury West
3401 W. Mercury Boulevard, Hampton VA 23666
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Drive-thru event)
Kroger
7254 Hayes Shopping Ctr, Hayes, VA 23072
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Drive-thru event)
Walmart Pharmacy
6819 Waltons Lane, Gloucester VA 23061
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to Noon (Drive-thru event)
Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital
20486 Market St, Onancock, VA 23417
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Drive-thru event)
Jamison-Longford Medical Office Building on the campus of Riverside Smithfield Hospital
19375 Benn's Grant Blvd., Smithfield, VA 23430
At the events, local law enforcement and the DEA will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. Syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted.