You can drop off old, unneeded or unused prescription drug medication Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in front of the East Hartford Public Safety Complex, 31 School St. during the national Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Takeback Day.

An East Hartford Public Health Nurse will also be at the Safety Complex during those hours to share information about naloxone, commonly known by its brand name Narcan – an emergency medication that can save a life in the event of an overdose. The health department will also give out free medication disposal kits while supplies last.

With national drug overdose deaths on the rise, the East Hartford Police and Health Department are working together on the collection of expired, unwanted, and unused meds.

Over a 10-year span of Take Back Day, DEA has brought in more than 8,650 tons of prescription drugs.
Considering the majority of abused prescription drugs originate with home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes over 106,000 overdosed in 2021, the most ever in a 12-month period. An increasing annual trend since 1999, the rate of overdoses accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs, or vaping devices and cartridges with batteries removed will be accepted. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps and illegal drugs will not be accepted.

Helping people dispose of potentially harmful prescription drugs is one of many ways East Hartford Police and East Hartford Health work to reduce addiction and stem overdose deaths. To learn more about the collection and disposal of prescription drugs, or about the Take Back Day, go to www.DEATakeBack.com or www.easthartfordct.gov/police-department.