Medication Disposal

The heroin epidemic in our region has claimed hundreds of lives. According to the Northern Shenandoah Valley Substance Abuse Coalition, more than 60% of local overdose victims report that they had a prior history of prescription drug abuse. It is important to properly dispose of medication, especially narcotics, before the drugs can be misused, abused, or accidentally ingested.

Collection Units

In 2014, the Winchester Police Department was awarded a grant for a Drug Collection Unit through the CVS/pharmacy Medication Disposal for Safer Community Program. The Drug Collection Unit is located outside of the Timbrook Public Safety Center and provides residents with a safe and environmentally-responsible way to dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired medication, including controlled substances.

The unit is intended to reduce the amount of unneeded medicine in residents’ homes and decrease prescription drug abuse, which has soared in recent years - especially among teenagers. More than 70% of teenagers say it is easy to get prescription drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets, according to a 2014 study by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

The unit also helps prevent the contamination of local landfills and water supplies by unused medication. As of November 2016, the Winchester Police Department has collected 1,240 pounds of medication and continues to collect an average of 50 pounds of unused or expired medication each month.

Locations

Unused and expired medication can be dropped off 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no questions asked. The unit is located at the main entrance of the Timbrook Public Safety Center, located at 231 East Piccadilly Street.

Other Drug Collection Units in the area include:

  • Winchester/Frederick Joint Judicial Center at 5 North Kent Street, Winchester VA 
  • Frederick County Sheriff's Office at 1080 Coverstone Drive, Winchester VA
  • Clark County Sheriff's Office at 100 North Church Street, Berryville VA

Disposal Guidelines

  • Capped, unused needles can go in the box. Please put them in a plastic container for safety. Do not put used needles in the box.
  • Please do not drop pills straight in the container. You can include Rx bottles or put the pills in a plastic bag.
  • The following table outlines what is accepted and not accepted:
Accepted Items Not Accepted Items
Prescriptions Hydrogen Peroxide
Rx Patches Thermometers
Rx Medications/Pills Needles (sharps)
Rx Ointments Lotions
Over-the-counter Medications Liquids
Vitamins Aerosol Cans
Samples Inhalers
Medications for pets  

 

 

 

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