Hagerstown Police Department Provides “No Questions Asked” Medication Drop-off Box

Hagerstown, MD - Citizens looking to dispose of unused, unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications can now use the safe and secure permanent drop off box in the lobby of the Hagerstown Police Department, 50 N. Burhans Blvd., Hagerstown MD.

HPD has partnered with the Washington County Health Department to establish a permanent medication collection program aiming to reduce the availability of these medications that can potentially harm children, teens and adults.

According to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), more than six million Americans abuse prescription medications. Among youth who are 12 to 17 years old, 7.4 percent report using unauthorized prescription drugs during the past year.

“Our lobby drop off box provides Hagerstown citizens with a safe, no-questions-asked location to get rid of unwanted medications.  Non-medical prescription drug use by teens can lead to abuse of dangerous illegal drugs such as heroin.  We believe that removing unused prescriptions from a home where teens and children live or visit is a positive first step in keeping children in our community safe,” said Mark Holtzman, Chief of the Hagerstown Police Department.

"The safe disposal of unused, unwanted or expired medications is crucial to properly safeguarding the environment, and deterring medication diversion in our county.  We strongly encourage our county’s residents to dispose of their medication," said April Rouzer, Administrative Officer of the Washington County Health Department.

Properly disposing of excess medications is everyone’s responsibility. More than 70 percent of young people abusing prescription pain relievers get them through friends or family, a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet.

Now Hagerstown citizens will not be required to wait for a specific take-back day to clean out their medicine cabinets.  The collection unit, a MedReturn safe-box, is located in HPD’s front lobby which is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday.

Help law enforcement and the public safety and health of our community by dropping off unwanted or expired medications in a safe, secure location.

For further information, please contact Chief Holtzman at 301 790-3700.

Story courtesy Hagerstown Police Department