Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and Chief of Police Wilfredo Campos remind residents that the Wilmington Police Department will participate in the 26^th Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day tomorrow, Saturday, October 26, 2024. Mayor Purzycki and Chief Campos invite you to bring any unneeded and/or expired prescription medications to the front of Frawley Stadium on the Riverfront, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, where they will be collected by Wilmington police officers.

This twice-a-year initiative, organized nationally by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and operated locally by the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), aims to reduce the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse and abuse by providing a convenient opportunity for the anonymous disposal of unneeded medications.

“WPD is once again a proud partner in this important collection event,” said Mayor Purzycki. “As we continue to fight the scourge of a nationwide opioid epidemic, I encourage residents to do their part by properly disposing of any unused or expired medications they may have on Saturday. Properly discarding these medications will go a long way to reducing the risk that they pose to the public.  Prescription Drug Take Back Day collections in Delaware alone have resulted in more than 114,000 pounds of medication being collected since 2010.”
 
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, “Unneeded prescription medication – those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed – are a public safety issue, too often becoming a gateway to addiction. The majority of opioid addictions start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision.”

“Unused or expired prescription medications can pose a serious public safety and public health risk, leading to overdose, abuse and accidental poisoning,” said Sgt. Joseph Leary, commanding officer of the WPD Support Services Division. “This national collection event is a great way to raise awareness of the importance of properly disposing of unneeded prescription medication.”
 
This FREE collection initiative will mark the sixth DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day event that the Wilmington Police Department has participated in since 2022. In addition, a permanent collection bin is located in the lobby of the WPD headquarters at 300 North Walnut Street. A safe syringe disposal box – intended for the public only, not commercial use – is also located in the WPD lobby.
 
The medications to be disposed of at Frawley Stadium and all other Take-Back Day locations on Saturday must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Besides medications, vape pens and e-cigarettes will be collected if the batteries are removed.
 
To further enhance overdose prevention and education efforts, the WPD is one of six DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back locations in Delaware – in addition to the New Castle, Middletown, Dover, Milford, and Laurel departments – that will offer Overdose Response Training and Narcan distribution to the public. It is recommended that anyone who has a prescription for opioids or has friends and family who use opioid prescriptions or illicit drugs receive this training and the overdose reversal medication, Narcan. For other community trainings and where to get free Narcan, visit: www.helpisherede.com/addiction/prevention
 
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call DHSS' 24/7 Crisis Hotline to be connected to treatment and recovery options. In New Castle County, call 1-800-652-2929. Or in Kent and Sussex counties, call 1-800-345-6785. For free 24/7 counseling, coaching, and support, as well as links to mental health, addiction, and crisis services call the Delaware Hope Line at 833-9-HOPEDE. To search online for treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states, visit HelpIsHereDE.com. 
 

Paul Ford Jr.
Director of Communications
City of Wilmington, Office of the Mayor
Phone: (302) 576-2111
Email: plford@wilmingtonde.gov