Got Drugs?

Don't know what to do with expired medications from winter's colds past?

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 25, Greenbelt residents have the opportunity to be a part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, a program combining the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration with local law enforcement with the intention of ridding the nation of unused and unwanted prescription drugs for safe removal.

"With this National Prescription Drug Take-Back campaign, we are aggressively reaching out to individuals to encourage them to rid their households of unused prescription drugs that pose a safety hazard and can contribute to prescription drug abuse," Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler said. "The Department of Justice is committed to doing everything we can to make our communities safer, and this initiative represents a new front in our efforts."

While there is no drop-off location in Greenbelt, residents wanting to take advantage of this program can go to the University of Maryland police department where unwanted prescriptions will be collected, packaged and then sent to Maryland State police for proper disposal.

"I think this effort is important for two reason; one, the safety issue. People who have expired prescription drugs in their homes with children or with other people who cannot take care of themselves are at risk of accidental ingestion," Capt. Marc Limansky of the University of Maryland police department said. "The second reason is the environment. We don't want items thrown into the trash that could seep into the water table or disposed of down the drain where it goes back into our water."

Capt. Limansky said that while this is one day citizens can surrender drugs, the University of Maryland police department can always collect prescription drugs if there is a need for it, they just call the police and ask what they can do with them.

"It's my sense that this will become an annual event," he said. "We'll have to see if it has a big turnout, but I'm sure than anything that could help to prevent death or serious illness will be well-received."

The University of Maryland police drop-off is in conjunction with the University of Maryland Mid-Atlantic Water Program. The other drop-off location near Greenbelt is the Berwyn Heights police department. Both departments will accept prescription tablets and capsules, however no intra-venous solutions, injectables, needles or illicit substances will be accepted. Residents who do want to surrender illicit substances can still do so through the department, but will not remain anonymous.