You can help the Virginia Beach Police Department in their mission to reduce contaminants in the environment and reduce children’s opportunity to gain access to unused or old prescriptions.
“When is the last time you cleaned out your medicine cabinet?” Chances are you have some old prescription drugs lying around that you probably need to get rid of, but how? The Virginia Beach Police Department in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Virginia State Police will be conducting a prescription drug drop off event on
Saturday, September 29th, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., at the following locations
Second Precinct, 820 Virginia Beach Blvd., (Oceanfront) 757-385-2700
Third Precinct, 926 Independence Blvd., (Haygood) 757-385-2703
Fourth Precinct, 840 Kempsville Road 757-385-2800
This event is open to any local Hampton Roads resident
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. Also, juveniles in some instances are obtaining medicines from their own houses for illegal use instead of buying them on the streets.
Another concern for law enforcement is the illegal sales of prescription drugs. People recovering from illicit drug addictions will often turn to prescription drug use. In many cases, they divert prescription drugs from ailing family members for use or trade in the street drug market.
In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
Last October, Americans turned in 377,080 pounds—188.5 tons—of prescription drugs at over 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. In its three previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in almost a million pounds—nearly 500 tons—of pills.
Frequently asked questions:
What is accepted at the event?
All pharmaceuticals (prescription and over‐the‐counter) will be accepted. This includes pills, liquids, capsules, inhalers, patches, etc.
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What is not accepted at the event?
NO SHARPS will be accepted.
NO AEROSOLS will be accepted.
What can I expect at the event?
Enter the precinct lobby where there will be an event table to drop off your unused prescriptions. An officer will be onsite to answer any questions. Simply place your prescription in the container.
Can I drop off drugs prescribed for my pet?
Yes.
Do I have to do anything to the prescription bottles prior to dropping them off?
We suggest removing or scratching out personal information from any bottle. Please preserve the part of the label that identifies the medication if at all possible.
What happens to the pharmaceuticals after I drop them off at the event?
The Virginia Beach Police Department will deliver the pharmaceuticals to an approved facility for proper disposal by incineration.