DOH Press Release: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 29

Alaska Department of Health sent this bulletin at 10/27/2022 09:24 AM AKDT

Adam Crum, Commissioner, Department of Health, health.alaska.gov, Anchorage, Alaska, State of Alaska, Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Clinton Bennett, DOH, 907-269-4996, clinton.bennett@alaska.gov

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 29

October 27, 2022, ANCHORAGE – The Alaska Department of Health (DOH) encourages Alaskans to participate in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which happens twice a year in the fall and spring, encourages households to safely dispose of unneeded medications from their homes to prevent potential medication misuse and addiction.

On Saturday, the DEA and its partners will collect prescription drugs including tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of medication at a number of collection sites across the state. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted at DEA’s Drug Take Back Day locations. See this flyer for information on how to safely dispose of syringes and sharps.

Most drugs should not be flushed in a toilet or thrown in the trash. Alaskans can also get safe drug disposal bags from their local public health center to deactivate certain drugs, such as opioids, before disposal. These bags are currently available free of charge at many State of Alaska Public Health Centers. Call your local public health center to check on availability.

Collection sites this fall will be hosted at the following Alaska locations:

  • Anchorage and Eagle River
    • Fred Meyer – Abbott (2300 Abbott Road), Muldoon (7701 DeBarr Road), Eagle River (13401 Old Glenn Highway)
    • Alaska Regional Hospital (1200 Airport Heights Drive, E Building, east side of building)
    • Providence Alaska Medical Center (3300 Providence Drive, outside collection site near the pharmacy entrance)
  • Craig – Craig Police Department (506 2nd Street)
  • Fairbanks and North Pole
    • Fairbanks Police Department (911 Cushman Street, inside lobby)
    • Fred Meyer – East (930 Old Steese Highway) and West (3755 Airport Way)
    • Walmart (537 Johansen Expressway)
    • North Pole Police Department (125 Snowman Lane)
    • University of Alaska Fairbanks Police Department (1788 Yukon Dr.)
  • Kenai Peninsula
    • Homer Police Department (625 Grubstake Ave.)
    • Seward City Hall (410 Adams Street)
    • Soldotna Police Department (44510 Sterling Highway)
  • Juneau – Juneau Police Department (6255 Alaway Ave.)
  • Mat-Su
    • Fred Meyer – Palmer (535 W. Evergreen Ave.) and Wasilla (1501 E. Parks Highway)
    • Willow Community Center (23557 W. Willow Community Center Circle)
  • Sitka – Harrigan Centennial Hall (330 Harbor Drive)

A collection site locator tool can also be found at DEATakeBack.com.

For more Information:

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