Prescription Take-Back Day is Saturday: Here are ways you can safely dispose or keep your medicine in the Black Hills area
RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Drug Enforcement Administration holds a National Prescription Take-Back Day, twice a year. The second one is Saturday, Oct. 29.
Gerrell Lewellen, evidence specialist of the Rapid City Police Department Evidence Section, says it helps prevent people from potentially abusing medications and teaches people how to dispose of them properly.
Take-back locations in the Black Hills area
These are the take-back locations in Belle Fourche, Custer, Deadwood, Ellsworth Air Force Base, Hot Springs, Lead, Rapid City, Spearfish and Sturgis.
You can find more places here.
DisposeRx packets
Photo Courtesy: avoidopioidsd.com
“These are packets that contain FDA approved ingredients that chemically and physically neutralize the drugs when they’re mixed with water. And so we can distribute these packets. They can be used for pills, tablets, capsules, liquids, powers. All of those can be used to neutralize the medications,” Laurie Gill, cabinet secretary of the Department of Social Services.
- To order some free packets, visit avoidopioidsd.com.
- Under the “Take Action” tab, click Safe Medication Disposal.
- Scroll down to the second action and click the link in the description.
- Fill out the form and a person can order up to five capsules.
- Once medications are neutralized, they can be thrown away.
“Since the launch of this DisposeRx service in South Dakota in January 2020 through September 2022, more than 1,400 packets have been distributed at no cost for safe medication disposal,” Gill said.
Medication lock boxes
Photo Courtesy: avoidopioidsd.com
- These can be used by anyone: individuals, realtors, senior living center, pharmacies and while traveling.
- Like the packets, medication lock boxes are free for South Dakota residents.
- Under the “Take Action” tab at the Avoid Opioid SD website, click “Medication Lock Boxes.”
- Scroll down to the form on the same page and fill out.
- Should arrive 1-2 weeks later (but a delay could happen in the process with recent increases in demand).
- Every house gets one box; organizations or facilities can have up to 34 boxes.
