Fall National Prescription Drug Take Back Day - Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 10 AM to 2 PM

StandUP Polk and local law enforcement agencies are proud to join The Drug Enforcement Administration and its national and community partners for the Fall National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, for citizens who want to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.

Our community’s Purge Your Pills Rx Drop Off will include 6 locations in Polk County for citizens to turn in unused, expired, or unwanted Human and Pet Medications for safe and proper disposal. Medications should be placed in a clear, air-tight plastic bag.  Drop-off locations from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm are:

Auburndale Police Department – 2 Bobby Green Plaza, Auburndale, FL
Haines City Police Department – 35400 Highway 27, Haines City, FL
Lake Alfred Police Department – 190 North Seminole Avenue, Lake Alfred, FL
Lake Wales Police Department - 133 East Tillman Avenue, Lake Wales, FL
Lakeland Police Department – 219 N. Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, FL
Winter Haven Police Department – 125 North Lake Silver Drive NW, Winter Haven, FL

Previous prescription medication collections held in Polk County dating back to 2010 have resulted in nearly 4,400 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals. All medications were safely disposed of via incineration. 

For folks unable to attend on October 26^th, unwanted medications may also be taken to the county’s permanent drop site locations at Police Departments in Auburndale, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lakeland and Winter Haven. Medications may also be safely disposed of at home by dissolving them in water, mixing with coffee grounds or cat litter, pouring into a zip lock bag, and disposing in the trash. To avoid harming lakes and ground water, please do not dump medications into the toilet. 

For more information on the local Pill Drop event or locations, please contact StandUP Polk at (863) 802-0777.