The Department of the Attorney General and Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division, in partnership with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with other law enforcement agencies are coordinating a prescription drug take-back event on Saturday, October 24, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at various collection points on Oahu, Maui, Hilo, and Kona. This will be the DEA’s 19th National Take Back Initiative (NTBI), now in its 11th year for the State of Hawaii. This year’s Take Back events will be conducted as drive-thrus, to adhere to physical distancing policies.

Big Island locations:

• East side: 670 Ponahawai St, Hilo, HI 96720
• West side: 74-611 Hale Makai Pl, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

This is a safe opportunity for anyone with expired or unused prescription medications to dispose of them responsibly. Simply bring your medications to the collection sites. You do not need to remove the labels or take the pills out of the containers. Simply toss them in a disposable bag and drop them off at the drive-thru locations.

A list of designated collection sites is attached, or you can visit Takebackday.dea.gov. This service is free and anonymous – no questions asked. Tablets, capsules, liquids, and other forms of medication will be accepted.

New or used syringes will not be accepted. If you are not able to participate in the October 24th, National Take Back Initiative, then take advantage of the drop box locations near you. Go to hawaiiopioid.org for drug take back drop box locations on the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Hawaii.

Unused or expired medicine should be disposed of properly when no longer needed for the illness for which it was prescribed.

• Medicines may lose their effectiveness after the expiration date.
• Improper use of prescription drugs can be as dangerous as illegal drug use. Having unused or expired medicine in your home increases the risk of accidental poisoning.
• Homes where children or the elderly live are especially vulnerable to this danger. Department of the Attorney General News Release 2020-95 Page 2
• People may mistake one type of medicine for another type; children may mistake medicine for candy.

Expired medicine should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Proper disposal helps reduce the risk of prescription drugs entering the human water supply or potentially harming aquatic life. For more information, please visit www.dea.gov.