ISP partners with DEA for Drug Take Back Day

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 7:55 AM

By Wes Dehne

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 26, as the Indiana State Police partners with the Drug Enforcement Administration for its 27th “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative. The “Take Back” initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of unwanted prescription drugs.

Collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs, which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment. This program is for pill and liquid medications. Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges also will be taken. Needles or sharps of any kind will not be accepted for disposal. This service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.

Unused and unwanted prescription drugs may properly be disposed of in a drop box at the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, 2006 Sweetgum Road. That box is available 24/7 in the office lobby.

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.

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 – pose both potential safety and health hazards.

Once again, the Indiana State Police is pleased to partner with the DEA, and as in the past, unwanted medications may be dropped off at any Indiana State Police Post, except for the Toll Road Post.