Orland Park police participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

The Orland Park Police Department will join law enforcement agencies across the country for the annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 22.

Residents are encouraged to drop off no longer needed prescription medications to the Orland Park Police Station from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The station is located at 15100 S. Ravinia Avenue.

Unused drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal consumption and pose an unacceptable risk to public health and safety. The Orland Park Police Department coordinates its effort with the Drug Enforcement Administration to bring national focus to the issue of pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse.

“The Village of Orland Park continues to work hard to ensure residents have a safe place to dispose of their unwanted and unused prescription drugs,” said Mayor Keith Pekau. “In addition to the twice yearly national drug take-back event, the Orland Park Police Department collects prescription drugs year-round to make sure these drugs do not end up in the wrong hands.”

The confidential and anonymous service is free of charge. Syringes, sharps, needles, glass containers, any type of liquids or illegal drugs will not be accepted.

Instructions for how to safety dispose of sharps or syringes are available by calling Waste Management at 800-964-8988.

“Orland Park has been in the forefront of battling illegal drug use within the community and the region, collecting thousands of pounds of no longer needed prescription drugs,” said Police Chief Eric Rossi. “We invite and encourage everyone to clean out their medicine cabinets and get rid of what they no longer need,” the chief said.

According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.3 million Americans misused controlled prescription pain relievers. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Take-Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.

The October 2022 National Take Back Day brought in 647,163 pounds (324 tons) of unused or expired prescription medication. This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 16,636,729 pounds (8,318 tons).

The Police Department’s ongoing collection enables residents to turn in unwanted prescription medications at the Orland Park Police Station Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Prescriptions are not accepted on holidays and liquid drugs, aerosol medications and hypodermic needles and syringes are not accepted. There is no charge to participate and all disposals are confidential and anonymous.

For more information about the event, call visit dea.gov/takebackday.