Medication Drop Off

Our community has three locations where you can drop off expired or unused medications safely and anonymously in a secure collection box. Proper disposal of medications helps prevent substance abuse, drug addiction and water pollution.

Summit County Sheriff’s Office
501 N. Park Ave., Breckenridge
ph: 970-453-2232
Hours: 24 hours/day, 7 days/week (regular business hours preferred)

Dillon Police Department
275 Lake Dillon Dr., Dillon
ph: 970-468-6078
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

Prescription Alternatives Pharmacy
610 Main St., Frisco
ph: 970-668-8482
Hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday-Friday

Accepted Items

The success of our program depends on proper use of our collection boxes. The following items are accepted:

Prescription medications, including prescribed controlled substances (DEA Schedule II-V)
Over-the-counter medications
Liquid medications (small amounts in original, non-leaking containers)
Medicated patches (used Fentanyl and Duragesic patches are extremely hazardous. They may be folded in half, sticky-side together and flushed down the toilet.)
Medication samples
Medicated ointments
Vitamins
Pet medications
Unused drug injection cartridges, e.g., unused EpiPens and insulin pens (must be unused with needle still protected inside)

Prohibited Items

The following items are not accepted in Summit County’s collection boxes:

Marijuana
Illicit drugs (e.g., heroin, LSD, cocaine)
Needles, syringes and other sharps*
Chemotherapy drugs
Medical tools and supplies
Bloody or infectious waste
Personal care products
Thermometers
Empty containers
Medication wastes generated by health care facilities, including nursing homes

*Free sharps-collection boxes are available at the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and at Summit Medical Center, alongside the medication drop boxes.

The Problem

Across the United States, including Colorado, we’re seeing an epidemic of addiction to opioids, the active ingredients in prescription painkillers and heroin. Medications that sit unused in home medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Their easy availability can also result in accidental poisonings.

Over-the-counter and prescription medications also pose threats to our water quality, when disposed of improperly. Trace amounts of drugs can impact fish reproduction and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, accounting for 52,404 U.S. deaths in 2015. Of these, 33,091 involved an opioid. By comparison, 35,092 U.S. deaths were caused by traffic crashes.
29% of Coloradans have used pain medication prescribed for someone else; 4 out of 5 heroin addicts started out by misusing prescription painkillers.
Each year, painkiller overdoses result in about 300 deaths in Colorado, and Summit County’s rate of death from opioid overdoses is higher than the state average.

The Solution

It comes down to three key steps: safe use, safe storage and safe disposal.

Safe Use: It’s important to use your prescription medication as intended to treat your medical condition. Talk with your health care provider about strategies to prevent addiction.
Safe Storage: Store medications in a drawer or cabinet that can be locked, so they’re secure and out of sight from children and guests. A medication lock box can be a great solution if you have teens in the house and/or drugs that are at risk for abuse.
Safe Disposal: Get rid of your unused or expired medications as soon as possible – but never down the drain or toilet! Medications can pass through water treatment systems and end up in lakes and streams – even in our drinking water. Our community has free, secure, anonymous medication drop boxes in Dillon, Frisco and Breckenridge.