Denton County Emergency Services Districts No. 1 and 2 are encouraging residents to safely dispose of unused or expired medications as part of National Drug Take Back Day, a nationwide effort to reduce misuse, accidental poisoning and overdose.
Officials said proper disposal is critical, as many misused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from medicine cabinets at home.
Through a partnership with the University of Houston’s Prescription Drug Misuse Education and Research (PREMIER) Center, all Denton County ESD 1 fire stations offer free medication disposal kits year-round in their lobbies. The kits allow residents to deactivate medications at home and safely discard them.
Drug overdoses continue to be a major public health concern. Nearly 105,000 overdose deaths were reported nationwide in 2023, according to officials. Unused medications left in the home can increase the risk of accidental poisoning, misuse, addiction and overdose, particularly among children and other household members.
Improper disposal can also harm the environment. Officials warn that flushing medications or throwing them in the trash can contaminate water supplies and negatively impact wildlife.
Residents are invited to participate in a local Drug Take Back Day event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 24, at Station 511, located at 511 Gibbons Road South. Free single-use disposal system (SUDS) kits will be available while supplies last.
In addition to fire station resources, permanent drug disposal kiosks are available to the public at the Argyle and Bartonville police departments for ongoing safe disposal options.
