Prescription Drug Take Back Day Aims To Curb Opioid Abuse Through Safe Disposal In Wilmington

The Wilmington Police Department will participate in the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 26, offering residents a safe and anonymous way to dispose of unneeded or expired prescription medications. (Photo by Pixabay)

WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Police Department will participate in the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 26, offering residents a safe and anonymous way to dispose of unneeded or expired prescription medications.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., officers will be stationed outside the department’s headquarters in the 300 block of North Walnut Street to collect medications from community members. The right-hand travel lane will be designated with traffic cones to create a drop-off lane for participants.

The national initiative is aimed at reducing the risk of prescription drug misuse and preventing substances from being diverted for illegal use.

According to the DEA, “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.”

This year’s Take Back Day comes amid growing national efforts to reduce access to dangerous drugs, particularly fentanyl. In 2024, the DEA seized over 60 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and nearly 8,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. Already in 2025, more than 13.5 million pills and 2,132 pounds of fentanyl powder have been seized, representing over 81 million deadly doses.

The national Take Back program continues to expand, with October 2024 marking one of the largest events to date: 4,425 law enforcement agencies collected over 629,000 pounds of medication at 4,644 sites. Since the initiative began, more than 19.2 million pounds (9,600 tons) of prescription drugs have been safely removed from circulation.

“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 marks the sixth time the Wilmington Police Department has participated in the initiative, having previously taken part in both the spring and fall events every year since 2022.

“We are happy to continue to participate in this national collection event, as a way of raising awareness of the importance of properly disposing of unneeded prescription medication,” said Leary.

Prescription drug misuse continues to be a serious issue, especially among youth. According to Just Think Twice, about 10% of college students reported using prescription drugs nonmedically within a recent three-month span. These include opioids, stimulants, and sedatives.

To address these risks, the DEA and Just Think Twice recommend removing unused medications from the home as one of the most effective ways to prevent abuse.

In addition to the April 26 event, the Wilmington Police Department provides a permanent prescription drug drop box and a safe syringe disposal box in the lobby of its headquarters at 300 North Walnut Street.