Dakota County Launches Prescription Medication Collection Program
Tragically, overdoses of prescription medications are in the news. According to the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) ¾ of people age 45 or older take an average of four prescription medications daily. Teens are abusing prescription drugs because they believe that: these medications are safer to use than illicit drugs; there are fewer stigmas attached to using them; there are fewer side effects than illicit drugs; and parents don’t care as much if the youth get caught. These beliefs are misguided. Misuse of Rx and OTC drugs is dangerous, can have deadly consequences and is illegal!
Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows, County Attorney James Backstrom, and our law enforcement partners are working with the Dakota County Board of Commissioners and City Councils to make it easier to properly dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications. In an effort to help prevent crime, drug abuse or accidental poisoning, Dakota County will have three permanent collection sites available on December 15th at:
Burnsville Police Department 100 Civic Center Parkway
(952) 895-4600
Hastings Sheriff’s Office 1580 Highway 55 (
Outdoor Location)
(651) 438-4710
West St. Paul Police Department
1616 Humboldt Avenue
651-552-4200
How to Drop Off Your Medicine:
- Drop-off is safe and anonymous. No ID is required and no questions will be asked.
- Keep medicines in their original container and place them in a sealed, clear plastic bag (pills can remain in their blister packs).
- Use a marker to cross out your name on the medicine containers.
- Place medicine that is no longer in its original container in a clear plastic bag and write the name of the medicine on the bag.
Medicine Accepted from Households: Medicine from households are accepted in any form, including prescription, over-the-counter and pet medications. No medicines from businesses, including health care facilities, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, doctor’s officers and veterinary clinics can be accepted. Examples of household medicines include:
- Capsules and pills
- Creams and gels
- Blister packs
- Inhalers
- IV bags
- Liquids
- Patches
- Powders
- Sprays
- Tablets
- Vials
- EpiPens
List of What is Not Accepted:
No needles, sharps (except EpiPens) or fever thermometers. Instead, bring these items to The Recycling Zone in Eagan (3365 Dodd Road, 651-905-4520) for free, environmentally safe-disposal.
Dakota County Attorney Backstrom stated: “This is an opportunity for citizens of our community to dispose of prescription medications in a manner safe for the environment and in a way that helps keep them out of the hands of our youth.”
Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows added: “It is important for local government and law enforcement to work together to make our community safer from the growing problem of prescription and over-the-counter medication abuse. We are pleased to partner with Dakota County Environmental Management to ensure the safe collection of unused prescription and over-the-counter medicine and the proper disposal thereof by law enforcement.”
Sheriff Bellows and County Attorney Backstrom have developed a prevention brochure to explain the importance of safe use, safe storage and safe disposal of Rx and OTC medicines. The Dakota County Safe & Drug Free Schools Coordinators also helped develop a prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse prevention packet designed to:
1. Increase awareness of Rx and OTC drug abuse;
2. Encourage monitoring quantities and safeguarding
medications;
3. Educate individuals on proper disposal of medications; and
4. Keep young people safe!
Access to Dakota County prevention materials about this issue are available at
www.DakotaCounty.us/Sheriff and search Prescription, or a prevention kit can be obtained by contacting Monica Jensen of the Dakota County Attorney’s Office at 651-438-4440. More prescription drug resources are available at
www.drugfree.org.
Do your part to keep prescription and over-the-counter medications from getting into the wrong hands!