Toss Unused Medicine on April 27 Drug Takeback Day

Many families have unused prescription drugs quietly expiring and gathering dust in their medicine cabinets.

They’ll have a chance to safely toss out those unused medicines on National Prescription Drug Takeback Day, Saturday, April 27.

In the northwest suburbs, the Brooklyn Park Police Department, located at 5400 85th Ave. N., will be accepting unused prescription drugs. The Walgreens locations in Maple Grove at 16750  County Road 30, and Plymouth at 4005 Vinewood Ln.,  will also be participating.

Police say it’s important to keep these potentially dangerous drugs away from children and others at-risk of accidental poisoning or abuse. 

“What if they fall into the hands of children or people that shouldn’t get them?” said Brooklyn Park Police Department Inspector Elliot Faust. “We have an opioid epidemic going on in this country. We need to maintain better control over our prescription drugs.”

National Prescription Drug Takeback Day is Saturday, April 27.

Public safety officials say drugs shouldn’t be tossed into the trash or flushed down the toilet. 

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, pharmaceuticals dumped down a drain can contaminate lakes, streams and drinking water sources.

“The last thing we want to do is for those chemicals and drugs to leech into our water systems, and that’s something that people just need to be mindful of,” Faust said. “There’s a better way to get rid of those.”

Brooklyn Park | Maple Grove | Plymouth