Prescription Drug Drop Boxes Now Open In Prince William County

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — Prescription drug drop boxes are now available throughout Prince William County, county officials announced on Thursday. The new drop boxes will be available 24/7 at three police stations in Woodbridge and Manassas.

The new drop boxes were purchased using funds provided to the Prince William Community Services Behavioral Health and Wellness program through a SAMHSA State Opioid Response grant.

The new drop boxes are designed for unwanted or unused pills, patches, ointment, or other medications. Liquids, needles, vape devices, or vape cartridges should not be disposed of in the drop boxes, county officials said.

Here are the locations of the three drop boxes:

• Western District Police Station at 8900 Freedom Center Blvd, Manassas, VA 20110
• Central District Police Station at 5036 Davis Ford Road, Woodbridge, VA 22192
• Eastern District Police Station at 15948 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22191

"Medicines that are kept in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse, and opioid prescription drugs are of particular concern.," the county said in a news release. "More than half of individuals who misused painkillers got them from a friend or relative."

In 2019, the most recent year with available data from the CDC, Virginia had a total of 1,547 deaths caused by drug overdoses. The state had 18.2 overdose deaths per 100,000 people.

"There is a connected rise in suicide rates with opioids involved in overdose deaths, especially among adolescents and young adults. Suicide and unintentional drug poisonings have increased, which are not seen in other injury-related causes of death," the county said. "Poisonings accounted for 13% of suicide deaths in 2019. Safely disposing of unused and expired medications limits access, which helps fight the opioid epidemic.

A number of resources are available for people struggling with prescription drug abuse. SAMHSA's national hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-662-4357. In Prince William County, the Community Services Behavioral Health and Wellness hotline can be reached at 703-792-7800 in Manassas or 703-792-4900 in Woodbridge. More resources are available online.