Cedar Falls Police Are Taking Back Drugs

The Cedar Falls Police Department will be setting up a Prescription Drug Take Back event.

On April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Cedar Falls Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its eighth opportunity in four years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your medications for disposal to the Cedar Falls Police Department at 220 Clay St., or the CVS Pharmacy at 2302 West 1^st St., in Cedar Falls.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last October, Americans turned in 324 tons of prescription drugs at over 4100 sites operated by the DEA and its thousands of state and local law enforcement partners.  In its seven previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in over 3.4 million pounds, over 1,700 tons, of pills.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines, flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Cedar Falls Citizens who are unable to deliver their unused/unwanted/expired prescription drugs for any reason can call the Cedar Falls Police Department to have them picked up.  Uniformed police officers will arrive in marked patrol cars, at the requested residence, to assist the homebound with drug disposal.  Please call 273-8612 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on April 26 to take advantage of this service.