ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Have old prescription drugs sitting around your house? This Saturday is your chance to safely get rid of them.
While it may be tempting to just leave old pill bottles to collect dust in your cabinet, the Florida Department of Health says this actually poses a serious risk. The Office of National Drug Control Policy says more than 71,000 children 18 and younger in the U.S. are seen in emergency rooms for unintentional overdoses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs each year.
It's also not safe to flush them down the toilet or toss them in the trash, where they could harm wildlife both on land and underwater.
That's why locations across the Tampa Bay area are participating in National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27.
Running from 10 a.m. -2 p.m., here's a list of locations accepting prescription drugs for disposal:
Pinellas County
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital 501 6th Ave S., St. Pete
- Walmart 8001 U.S. Hwy 19 N., Pinellas Park
- Pinellas County Sheriff's Office 10750 Ulmerton Rd., Largo
- St. Petersburg General Hospital - HCA 6500 38th Ave N., St. Pete
- Largo Police Department 201 Highland Ave., Largo
- C. W. Bill Young VA Medical Center 10000 Bay Pines Blvd., Bay Pines
- Countryside Mall 27001 U.S. Hwy 19 N., Clearwater
- Tarpon Springs Police Department 444 S. Huey Ave., Tarpon Springs
Hillsborough County
- CVS 4401 W. Gandy Blvd., Tampa
- Walgreens 8398 Sheldon Rd., Tampa
- CVS 2502 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa
- USF Morsani Center 13330 USF Laurel Dr., Tampa
- HCA Florida Brandon Hospital 119 Oakfield Dr., Brandon
- Temple Terrace Police Department 11250 N. 56th St., Tampa
- Walgreens 17511 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa
Sarasota County
- Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, 6010 Cattleridge Blvd., Sarasota
- Sarasota Police Department, 2099 Adams Lane, Sarasota
- The Glass/Schoenbaum, 1750 17th St., Sarasota
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, 5000 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Bradenton
- Venice Police Department, 1575 E. Venice Ave., Venice
- Holmes Beach Police Department, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach
- North Port Police Department, 4980 City Hall Blvd., North Port
Pasco County
- Walmart, 12610 U.S. 19, Hudson
- Port Richey Police Department, 6333 Ridge Road, Port Richey
Polk County
- Lakeland Police Department, 219 North Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland
- Lake Alfred Police Department, 190 N. Seminole Avenue, Lake Alfred
- Lake Hamilton Police Department, 100 Smith Avenue, Lake Hamilton
- Haines City Police Department, 35400 U.S. 27, Haines City
- Lake Wales Police Department, 133 East Tillman Avenue, Lake Wales
- Winter Haven Police Department, 125 N. Lake Silver Drive NW, Winter Haven
