Have unused pills? Here's where to properly dispose of them Saturday in central Ohio

Jordan Laird, The Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read
The biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday. Central Ohioans can turn in their expired and unwanted medication to law enforcement at participating Kroger pharmacies and other locations.
The biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday. Central Ohioans can turn in their expired and unwanted medication to law enforcement at participating Kroger pharmacies and other locations.

Do you have unused or expired pills or other prescription drugs collecting dust in the back of your medicine cabinet?

Turning those pills in on Saturday on biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day could prevent addiction, suicide or overdose, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., law enforcement officers and first responders across central Ohio and the country will be collecting pills at designated locations like Kroger stores and fire departments.

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Why should you dispose of old medicine?

The DEA bills this biannual event as an easy, no-cost opportunity to dispose of medicines that are susceptible to misuse and theft.

Opioid misuse remains at epidemic levels in the United States. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. died from drug overdoses last year, mostly from opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A majority of people who misuse a prescription medication obtain the medicine from a family member or friend, according to a report by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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Here's where you can turn in pills on Saturday

Participating locations can be found by searching at www.DEATakeBack.com.

Here are some locations in central Ohio:

  • Columbus Public Health, 240 Parsons Ave.

  • U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services Office of Inspector General, 277 W Nationwide Blvd.

  • Columbus Fire Department, 3639 Parsons Ave.

  • Kroger, 1375 Chambers Road

  • Kroger, 3637 S. High St.

  • Kroger, 300 S Hamilton Rd, Gahanna

  • Bexley Police Department, 559 N. Cassingham Road, Bexley

  • Perry Township Police Department, 7125 Sawmill Road, Dublin

  • Dublin Police Department, 6565 Commerce Parkway, Dublin

  • Kroger, 7100 Hospital Drive, Dublin

  • Hilliard Division of Police, 5171 Northwest Parkway, Hilliard

  • Kroger, 4656 Cemetery Road, Hilliard

  • Groveport Police Department, 5690 Clyde Moore Dr, Groveport

  • Kroger, 6580 E Main St, Reynoldsburg

  • Plain Township Fire Department, 9500 Johnstown Road, New Albany

  • Reynoldsburg Division of Police, 7240 East Main St., Reynoldsburg

  • Upper Arlington Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road, Upper Arlington

  • Blendon Township Complex, 6350 Hempstead Road, Westerville

  • Kroger, 55 W. Schrock Road, Westerville

  • Worthington Division of Police, 6555 Worthington Galena Road, Worthington

  • Sharon Township Police Department, 95 E. Wilson Bridge Road, Worthington

What to know

Law enforcement partners on Saturday will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other forms of prescription drugs. They will not accept syringes, sharps and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. Vaping devices and cartridges can also be turned in Saturday, as long as any lithium batteries are removed.

What can I do with old pills the rest of the year?

Year-round receptacles for disposing of old medicine are available at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and business.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Where to properly dispose of medicine on National Drug Take Back Day