Prescription And Over-The-Counter Drugs Disposal

Residents of Abington Township and Cheltenham Township are encouraged to dispose of prescription drugs as well as over-the-counter drugs at two area locations.

Among the items that can be disposed of through this program are:

  • Prescription tablets and capsules
  • Over-the-counter tablets and capsules
  • Inhalers
  • Creams and ointments
  • Nasal sprays
  • Pet medications

Certain items cannot be disposed through this program, including:

  • Intravenous and injectable solutions
  • Needles

You’re able to drop off prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs at the Abington Township Police Department at any time on any day:

Abington Township Police Department
1166 Old York Road
Abington, PA 19001

This police station is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You’re also able to drop off prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs at the Cheltenham Township Police Department from 6 AM to Midnight on any day:

Cheltenham Police Department
8230 Old York Road
Elkins Park, PA 19027

“Drug addiction is a serious and growing problem across the United States and in Montgomery County, and abuse of prescription drugs, especially opiates, is a large part of it,” according to a statement from the Office of the District Attorney of Montgomery County.  “As the problem worsens, so, too, do the consequences.  Drug overdose deaths in Montgomery County grew to 249 deaths in 2016 and remained even at 245 deaths in 2017.  Still far too many Montgomery County residents are being affected by this epidemic.”

“The path to addiction and overdose often begins, research shows, with a young person taking pills from a home medicine cabinet, not seeing the harm in trying the ‘one little pill,'” that statement continued.  “To reduce the availability of those drugs and keep them out of reach for abuse, the Prescription Drug Disposal Program was started in 2010.”

This is a joint program by the Office of the District Attorney of Montgomery County and the Police Chiefs Association of Montgomery County.  Both the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association and Pennsylvania American Water have provided funding for this program.

“The Prescription Drug Disposal Program provides a safe way for county residents to dispose of unwanted, unneeded and expired prescription and over-the-counter medications,” according to the statement from Montgomery County.  “In addition to decreasing the circulating drug supply, the program also helps keep our water supply safe.  Since 2010, more than 60,000 pounds of unwanted and expired medications have been collected and safely destroyed.”

Recently, a majority of the municipalities worked together with Montgomery County to do a one-day special event.  The Drug Take Back Day, held on October 27th, resulted in the collection of more than 9,000 pounds of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines, according to a statement from the Office of the District Attorney of Montgomery County.

“The boxes of drugs, which filled nearly two box trucks, will be safely destroyed,” explained Mr. Kevin Steele, Montgomery County District Attorney.  “The total was 9,056.96 pounds, which breaks down into 1,508.86 collected that day;  6,538.9 pounds collected from MedReturn boxes located at police departments throughout the county;  and 1,009.2 pounds collected from MedReturn boxes at area hospital facilities, the Montgomery Courthouse and via the Mobile MINI Pill Car outings around the county.”

“This amount is astounding,” said Steele.  “Each time, we have a collection day, we keep receiving more and more prescription and over-the-counter drugs, which means people are disposing of these medicines safely by turning them in and making their homes safer in the process.  Hopefully it also means that people are taking just what they need in terms of their prescription medicines and then getting rid of the rest of the unwanted pills by dropping them off on a Take Back Day or at one of the more than 50 permanent boxes.”

Both Abington Township and Cheltenham Township participated in the recent Drug Take Back Day.

According to Ms. Kate Delano, Director of Communications of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Abington Township collected 277 lbs. of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, while Cheltenham Township collected 242.2 lbs. of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.