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Delaware joins in 18th Annual Drug Take-Back Day

Delaware Public Media

The next Drug Take-Back Day is Saturday, offering Delawareans another opportunity to dispose of prescription drugs they no longer need.

 

This is the 18th year that Drug Take-Back Day is being held in Delaware.

And according to Dr. Rick Hong - the medical director for Delaware’s Department of Public Health (DPH) - the event is extremely important.

 

“Unfortunately we’ve had 70 suspected overdose deaths in Delaware already in 2019. And the preliminary numbers show 418 deaths for 2018,” said Dr. Hong.

Dr. Hong says unused prescription drugs contribute to this issue.

 

“The majority of users of prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends often from the home medicine cabinet. In fact, almost two-thirds of people who abuse pain-killers get them for free from friends and family. So this event offers a safe way to discard those medications and medicines free and anonymously,” Said Dr. Hong.

Dr. Hong says since 2010, the twice-yearly event has collected more than 11,000 pounds of medication.

Twenty-four locations statewide will participate in Drug Take-Back Day. Those are in addition to 21 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the State - available year-round.  

 

Here's the full list of locations statewide:

 

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
·         Newark Police Department, 220 S. Main. St., Newark (permanent collection site)
·         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
·         Cheswold Police Department, 691 Main St., Cheswold
·         Delaware State Police Troop 3, 3759 S. State St., Camden-Wyoming
·         Felton Police Department, 24 E. Sewell St., Felton (permanent collection site)
·         Dover Police Department, 300 S. Queen St., Dover (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
·         Milford Police Department, 400 NE Front St., Milford (permanent collection site)
·         Atlantic Shores Rehabilitation and Health Center, 231 S. Washington St., Millsboro
·         Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View, (permanent collection site)
·         Lewes Ferry Terminal, 43 Cape Henlopen Dr., Lewes
·         Rehoboth Police Department, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
 
Medication can be dropped off at the sites between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
 
 

Kelli Steele has over 30 years of experience covering news in Delaware, Baltimore, Winchester, Virginia, Phoenix, Arizona and San Diego, California.