To prevent opioid abuse and accidental overdose, on October 28th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to dispose of controlled and over-the-counter expired and unused prescription drugs. It’s free, safe and convenient. Drive-in, drop-off, no questions asked. For more information, view the flyer. 

According to The Surgeon’s General Report, opioid analgesic pain relievers are now the most prescribed class of medications in the United States, with more than 289 million prescriptions written each year. The increase in prescriptions of opioid pain relievers has been accompanied by dramatic increases in misuse and increase in the number of emergency department visits. The Prescription Take Back Day initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to di-version, misuse, and abuse. The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America says that teens are obtaining medications from family members and friends: More than one-half of the nonmedical users of pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives aged 12 or older got the prescription drugs they most recently used “from a friend or relative for free”, including from the home medicine cabinet. 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.

Given the impact on public health, it is critical to prevent opioid misuse from starting. LifeSteps Coalition supports the DEA Take Back Day and work to increase awareness about safe disposal while advocating for effective practices to address the problem. The Coalition was awarded with a small grant to purchase a permanent drop-off box and we are very thankful to Williamson County Sheriff’s Office for partnering with us to host the box, offering a year-round safe medication disposal to WilCo residents. Soon, we’ll start a free distribution of medication disposal envelopes and pouches, and continue advocating for Naloxone to save lives.
Be part of the solution: check your home medicine cabinet and look for medicines that you do not need or have expired. Bring them to the nearest Prescription Take-Back Day site . You can bring: prescriptions, over-the-counter and controlled medications for individuals in your household, including your pets. The following will not be accepted: needles and syringes, thermometers, IV bags, medical devices and personal care products.

Thank you to our local Police Departments and Sheriff’s Office, Williamson County has the following drop-off locations:
GEORGETOWN: Legacy Hills Park Pavilion at 200 Dell Webb Blvd, Sun City and
WilCo Sheriff’s Office, 508 South Rock
ROUND ROCK: Round Rock Police Department, 2701 North Mays
CEDAR PARK: Cedar Park Police Department, 911 Quest Parkway and
Texas Museum of Science and Technology, 1220 Toro Grande Blvd
LEANDER: Leander Police Department, 705 Leander Dr.
TAYLOR: Taylor City Hall parking lot, 400 Porter