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Duke Police to Collect Old Medicine This Week

‘Operation Medicine Drop’ accepts unused, expired medications

Duke and Durham community members are invited to safely drop off expired or unused medications at two locations in Duke’s health system Sept. 24.

Operation Medicine Drop, a statewide initiative organized by Safe Kids North Carolina, the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement, collects and destroys medications to prevent crime, drug overdose and misuse, and to keep discarded medications from getting in the water supply.

At a Medicine Drop event in March, Duke collected 38 pounds of medications, said Eric Hester, crime prevention officer for Duke Police.

“We want to get prescription drugs off the street, out of medicine chests and away from kids finding that kind of stuff in their homes,” Hester said. “Faculty and staff have the opportunity to get rid of medications no questions asked. Just drop it off at our table and keep going.”

A table with volunteers will be set up to collect medications on Sept. 24 at the Duke Hospital North Lobby, from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and at the Duke Clinic front lobby, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find a map of the Duke Medicine campus here.

For those who are unable to make the Thursday drop-off times, Operation Medicine Drop, in partnership with the Durham Police Department, will also be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the following Durham locations:

  • Walgreens, 1812 Holloway Street
  • Kroger, 3457 Hillsborough Road
  • Kroger, 202 West NC Highway 54
  • Ace Hardware, 1700 East NC Highway 54

Officers will supervise the collection of medications, which will be transported to an incinerator at the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation lab to be safely destroyed.