The NOPD is encouraging New Orleanians to clean out their medicine cabinets and get rid of unwanted prescription drugs and medications on Saturday, October 28, 2017.
The Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) “National Drug Take Back Day” is October 28, 2017.
From 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., citizens can dispose of unwanted, expired or unused prescription drugs with no questions asked.
“The Drug Take Back Day addresses some very important public safety and health issues,” said NOPD Superintendent Michael S. Harrison. “Prescription drug abuse, accidental poisonings and overdoses in the U.S. are at alarming rates. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family members, friends, and the home medicine cabinet. The Drug Take Back Day offers local residents an easy way to safely dispose of drugs anonymously and safely.”
Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. In addition, many Americans don’t know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine – opting to flush them down the toilet or throw them away – which represent potential safety and health hazards.
The one‐day event will provide local residents with access to safe medicine drop-off locations to help reduce the increasing rates of accidental poisonings and prescription drug abuse while protecting the environment.
Five drop off locations around the city include:
- Xavier University Police Department 3801 South Carrollton Ave.
- Tulane University Police Department 6823 Saint Charles Ave./Diboll Complex
- Tulane University Police Department Tulane School of Medicine 1430 Tulane Ave.
- Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office 2800 Perdido Street
- Southern University Police Department SUNO Maintenance Bldg 6400 Press Drive
According to the DEA, in April of 2017, Americans turned in 900,386 pounds (450 Tons) of prescription drugs at the 5,000-plus sites operated by the DEA and its state and local law enforcement partners.
The NOPD’s Central Evidence & Property (CE&P) facility accepts unwanted prescription drugs and medications any time, day or night. CE&P is located at 1116 Magnolia at Earhart Boulevard across from Home Depot.