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Partnership Policing Communications Coordinator (PIO)
Genevieve Judge
Desk Phone: 941-954-7094
Fax: 941-954-7034
Genevieve.Judge@SarasotaFL.gov

Sarasota Police Taking Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs on Saturday, October 26, 2019

Post Date:10/17/2019 10:58 AM

On Saturday, October 26, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Sarasota Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring your expired, unused and unwanted pills for disposal to the lobby of the Sarasota Police Department, 2099 Adams Lane, Sarasota. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.)  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. 


For the first time, the Sarasota Police Department will also partner with Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market Pharmacy, located at 3500 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, for a drop-off location in addition to the Sarasota Police Department.  This drop-off location will be staffed from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.


This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that sit 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.


The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that most misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen 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.


Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners.  Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11 million pounds—nearly 5,500 tons—of pills.


The Sarasota Police Department has a permanent drop-box in the lobby at Sarasota Police Headquarters at 2099 Adams Lane, Sarasota, that can be accessed from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

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