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April 15, 2022

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Public Information Unit, 303-441-1500

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Unwanted medication can be dropped off during a free event

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County residents can drop off unwanted prescription medication at the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) drug collection events on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Items accepted at this collection include:

  • Pills
  • Patches
  • Small amounts of liquid medication
  • Vaping devices and cartridges (the DEA, however, cannot accept devices containing lithium ion batteries. If batteries cannot be removed prior to drop-off, DEA encourages individuals to consult with stores that recycle lithium ion batteries).

Items not accepted at this collection include:

  • Needles or other sharps
  • Inhalers
  • Mercury thermometers
  • Iodine-containing medications
  • Illicit drugs or substances
  • Marijuana (which is still a schedule 1 drug under federal law)

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting an event at the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters, located at: 5600 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder.

There are additional events being hosted around the area, for more information on the event, and other locations, please go to: www.dea.gov/takebackday.

For more information about safely disposing unwanted medication in Boulder County, including what to do with liquid medication and syringes, visit: https://boco.org/Unwanted_Meds. Additional safe disposal locations are available throughout Boulder County and regularly accept unused and unwanted prescription drugs, including at our headquarters building during business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00-5:00 p.m. in the green collection box in the entranceway.