Law enforcement agencies across the North Olympic Peninsula are poised to take part in National Drug Takeback Day.
The annual collection program provides an opportunity for community members to safely dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs.
The program, led nationally by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.
Unused prescription medicines sitting around in homes are susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse and also can lead to accidental poisoning.
Locations to take medications include:
• The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, the Port Angeles Police Department and the Port Angeles Healthy Youth Coalition will collect medicines from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at an incident command motorhome in the main parking lot at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
Members of the public can drive up and anonymously drop off unwanted pills, patches and vaping pens and cartridges.
Batteries must be removed from vaping supplies and the site cannot accept liquid medicines, needles or other sharps.
• The Sequim Police Department staff and volunteers will collect expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs as well as vaping pens without the internal batteries from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Sequim Police Department, 152 W. Cedar St., Sequim.
The department also collects unwanted medications and illegal drugs with no questions asked during regular office hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.
Syringes and medical waste will not be accepted.
• The Forks Police Department, 500 E. Division St., Forks, has a collection box in the lobby that is accessible 24 hours per day.
In Jefferson County, medications may be dropped off year-round at the following locations:
• Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, 76 Elkins Road, Port Hadlock, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
• Port Townsend Police Department, 1925 Blaine St., Suite 100, Port Townsend, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.
• QFC Pharmacy, 1890 Irondale Road, Port Hadlock-Irondale, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
• QFC Pharmacy, 515 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
• Safeway Port Townsend, 442 W. Sims Way, Port Townsend, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.
Syringes, needles and other sharps may be dropped of at Jefferson County Public Health office, 615 Sheridan St., Port Townsend. The collection bin outside of the building is accessible 24 hours per day.
For more information, visit www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines.
