Students, faculty and staff looking for a safe way to discard unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications may do so at the University of Tennessee Police Department.

The department’s pharmaceutical take-back box is located in the lobby at 1101 Cumberland Avenue. The secure drop box is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Medications that can be dropped off at the take-back box include non-narcotics, narcotics, over-the-counter medicines, herbals, and veterinary medications. UTPD will not accept needles, biohazardous materials or illegal drugs.

Once the drop box is full, UTPD will package and send the contents to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to be destroyed.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 26. The event addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. A majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet, according to the study.