DEARBORN – The Dearborn Police Department, in partnership with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will participate in National Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

Residents are encouraged to bring their unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications to the Dearborn Police Station on 16099 Michigan Ave.

Drop-offs are free and anonymous with no questions asked. Only pills will be accepted. No liquids or needles may be turned in.

“It is important to ensure that controlled substances are disposed of properly to prevent accidental ingestion by children or abuse by others,” said Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad in a statement.

Last fall, Americans turned in 466 tons (over 932,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners, according to Dearborn’s Public Information Director Mary Laundroche. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 9 million pounds—about 4,500 tons—of pills.

Saturday’s collection marks the 14th opportunity in seven years that Dearborn residents are actively able to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription
drugs.

This law enforcement initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue, said Laundroche. 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.

People should also be advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines, like flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, create environmental and health hazards.

For further information, contact the Dearborn Police Department at 313-943-2240.