The Washington statewide Safe Medication Return program launched November 21, 2020. You can now mail your expired or unwanted medications for free OR drop them off at a participating secure kiosk.
There are several ways to safely dispose of your household and pet medications.
- Return them at drop off location Kiosks.
- Return them using free, prepaid and preaddressed mailers.
- Participate in take-back events organized by local authorities to collect and dispose of medications safely.
You can find drop off locations and find the next take-back event in your area order by clicking this link. You can also visit medtakebackwashington.org or call 844-4-TakeBack (844-482-5322), TTY 711.
All services are free. You do not need to provide identification.
Please do not flush medications down the toilet or dispose of them in the trash.
Safe Needle Disposal – Where and How to Dispose of Syringes
https://safeneedledisposal.org/state-search/
Opioids and Other Drugs
Washington State is currently facing a severe opioid crisis, with rising abuse and overdose rates involving both prescription opioids and heroin. State and local agencies, health departments, professional organizations, and community groups across Washington have been working together to address and reduce the harm associated with opioids. Opioid-related overdoses and deaths have reached unprecedented levels in Chelan and Douglas Counties and across the state. The presence of fentanyl—a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin or morphine—is driving this sharp increase in overdoses and fatalities. Counterfeit pills resembling prescription opioids, often laced with fentanyl, are readily available in these counties, heightening the risk of overdose and death, even with just one pill.
Naloxone, an opioid blocker, can reverse an opioid overdose within minutes and is safe to administer, with no effect on individuals not taking opioids. Naloxone is accessible to everyone, without a prescription, from pharmacies and many other locations. Our goal is to ensure as many people as possible have naloxone on hand and understand how to use it, so they are prepared to intervene and potentially save a life in the event of an overdose.
Press Release about Naloxone English
Press Release about Naloxone Spanish
Sources:
Safe Medication Return | Washington State Department of Health
Grant County Health District, WA | Official Website
