Make Every Day a Drug Take-Back Day in Nebraska
A small act can make a big difference. Leftover or expired prescription drugs, especially those related to pain management, present risks for overdoses, poisoning, and misuse.
Nebraska pharmacies and law enforcement agencies have an easy and anonymous solution: drop off used medications at your local pharmacy any day with the Nebraska MEDS program, or participate in the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) twice-yearly, large-scale, no-questions-asked Take-Back Day events.
The DEA’s next formal Take-Back Day is Saturday, April 30th.
The following DEA Take-Back locations will accept medications between 10 am and 2 pm on Saturday, April 30:
Bellevue Police Department, 1510 Wall St., Bellevue
Blair Police Department, 1730 Lincoln St., Blair
Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office, 512 Niobrara Ave., Alliance
Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office at Kearney Good Samaritan Hospital, 10 E. 31st St., north parking lot, Kearney
Chadron Police Department, 125 N. Main St., Chadron
Gosper County Sheriff’s Office, 507 Smith Ave., Elwood
Grand Island Police Department, at Super Saver, 710 W. State St., Grand Island
Hall County Sheriff’s Office, at Super Saver, 1602 W. 2nd Street, Grand Island
Hastings Police Department, 317 South Burlington Ave., Good Samaritan Village
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, 606 3rd St., Fairbury
Kimball County Sheriff’s Office, 114 E. 3rd St., Kimball
La Vista Police Department, 7701 S. 96th St., La Vista
Nebraska State Patrol, 6310 N.72nd St., Omaha
Omaha Police Department, at HyVee, 747 N, 132nd St. and 8809 W. Center Rd.; and at Walgreens, 3121 S.24th St. and 3005 Lake St.
Plattsmouth Police Department at Plattsmouth Senior Center, 308 S.18th Street
Ralston Police Department, at Walgreens, 8380 Harrison St., La Vista
Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, at HyVee, 11650 S.73rd St., Papillion
South Sioux City Police Department, 701 W.29th St., and at HyVee, 2501 Cornhusker Dr., South Sioux City
But every day can be a take-back day in Nebraska. Many Nebraska pharmacies offer ways to dispose of unwanted medications every day that their doors are open. A partial list is below, and additional locations can be found on the Nebraska MEDS Coalition’s website, nebraskameds.org. Nebraska MEDS, of which Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is a partner, is a coalition of state and community partners dedicated to educating residents about the safe disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medications. In addition to educational work, the coalition supports disposal programs that allow residents to dispose of unused and leftover medications.
Sites will accept prescription medication (be sure to remove identifying patient labeling); over-the-counter medication; creams, lotions, or ointments; liquid medication less than four ounces; pet medication, and all of the above in pill, tablet, and capsule form. The drug disposal program does not accept needles, syringes, or lancets; rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide; home-based care or medical equipment supplies; liquid medication greater than four ounces, or thermometers.
On May 3, from 10 am to 2 pm, there will be a takeback event at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, 6400 University Drive, North UNO Parking Lot E.
Any day can be a takeback day in Nebraska, as many pharmacies and health centers have permanent drop boxes. In Nebraska, they include, but are not limited to:
Adams Drug, 513 Broadway, Imperial
Alliance Community Pharmacy, 315 Box Butte Ave., Alliance
Anderson Pharmacy, 1429 M St., Ord
Apothecary Shop, 958 Wellness Way, Ste. 2, Pender
Arapahoe Pharmacy, 507 Nebraska Ave., Arapahoe
Ashland Pharmacy, 1401 Silver St., Ashland
Beatrice Community Hospital, 4800 Hospital Pkwy, Beatrice
Benkelman Pharmacy, 509 Chief St., Benkelman
Bloomfield Pharmacy, 105 S. Broadway Ste. 1, Bloomfield
Boone County Sheriff’s Office, 217 S. 5th St., Albion
Brehm Drug, 608 Howard Ave., Saint Paul
Burwell Pharmacy, 137 Grand St., Burwell
Butler County Pharmacy, 372S. 9th St., David City
Carl T. Curtis Health Education Center, 100 Indian Hills Dr., Macy
Charlie’s U-Save Pharmacy, 2029 Lincoln Ave., York
Clabaugh Pharmacy, 501 Court St., Beatrice
Cancer Partners of Nebraska, 201 S. 68th Pl., Ste 200, Lincoln
Cody’s U-Save Pharmacy, 2220 J St., Auburn
Corner Drug, 301 N. Oakland Ave., Oakland
Dave’s Pharmacy, 223 Box Butte Ave., Alliance; 508 Niobrara Ave., Hemingford
Elgin Pharmacy, 112 S.2nd St., Elgin
Elmwood Pharmacy, 808 S. 52nd St., Omaha
Farrell’s Pharmacy, 120 W. B St., McCook
Fulmer Pharmacy, 1317 Hill St., Holdrege
Gering U-Save Pharmacy, 1400 10th St., Gering
Globe Rexall Drug, 424 E St., Fairbury
Good Life Discount Pharmacy, 124 S. 4th St., Albion; 727 O St., Loup City
Gothenburg Discount Pharmacy, 902 Avenue D., Gothenburg
Hays Pharmacy, 706 W. Main St., Alma
Heart City Drug, 110 N. Main ST., Valentine
Henderson Pharmacy, 1060 Main St., Henderson
Hilltop Drugs, 108 W. 11th St., Neligh
Holcomb Pharmacy, 530 S. 8th Ave., Broken Bow
HyVee, 3010 23rd St., Columbus; 840 E.23rd Ave. North, Fremont; 115 Wilmar Ave., Grand Island; 5020 N.27th St, 5010 O St., 1601 N.84th St, 6001 Village Drive, 7151 Stacy Lane, Lincoln; 120E. Norfolk Ave., and 2107 Taylor Ave., Norfolk; 17810 Welch Plz., 1000 S. 178th St, 16418 Westside Dr, 14591 Stony Brook Blvd., 3410 N. 156th St., 9707 Q St., 747 N.132nd St.,8809 W. Center St., 10808 Fort St., 7910 Cass St., 5150 Center St., 8404 N. 30th St., Omaha; 11650 S.73rd, Papillion; 16418 Westside Dr., Plattsmouth; 500 Plaza Dr., West Point
Johnson County Hospital, 202 High St., Tecumseh
Kex Rx Pharmacy and Home Care, 120 E. 18th St., Falls City
Lake Crest Pharmacy, 620 Main St. Ste B, Adams
Lambert’s Family Pharmacy, 814 N. 1st St., Gibbon
Lexington Regional Medical Center, 1201 N. Erie St., Lexington
Kohll’s RX, 808 N. 27th St, Lincoln; 12741 Q Street, 5002 Dodge St., 2915 Leavenworth St., Omaha
Mark’s Pharmacy, 624 Patterson, Cambridge
Nebraska Medical Center Bellevue Pharmacy, 2510 Bellevue Medical Center Dr., Ste. 100, Bellevue
Neighborhood Pharmacy, 1265 S. Cotner Blvd., Suite 30, Lincoln; 5115 S.11th St., Omaha
Nein Pharmacy, 1012 Main St., Bridgeport
Nemaha County Hospital, 2022 S. 13th St., Auburn
Our Town Pharmacy, 733 2nd St., Chappell
Osmond Pharmacy, 322 State St., Osmond
Petersen Drug, 302 Main St., Chadron
Relycare Pharmacy, 1221 N. Cotner Blvd., Ste 1, Lincoln
Rock County Pharmacy, 801 S. State St., Bassett
Ron’s Pharmacy, 537 Gage St., Blue Hill
Safeway Pharmacy, 500 E. 3rd St., Alliance
Schuyler Pharmacy, 122 W. 16th St., Schuyler
Service Drug Store, 133 E. 8th St., Cozad
Seven Valleys Health Mart, 200 E. Pacific St., Calloway
Stockman’s Drug, 116 N. Main St., Gordon
Tooley’s Pharmacy, 415 Hawkeye St., Osceola
University of Nebraska Health Center Pharmacy, 550 N.19th St., Lincoln
U-Save Pharmacy, 3611 2nd Ave., Kearney, 603 N. Washington, Lexington; 1821 S. 11th St., Nebraska City; 1001 W. Benjamin Ave., Norfolk; 23 N. Spruce St., Ogallala
Varney Health Mart, 744 S. E St., Broken Bow
Via Rx, 825 N.90th St., Omaha
Village Pharmacy, 317 N. Webster St., Red Cloud
Walgreens, 2320 23rd St., Columbus; 2516 Second Ave., Kearney; 1701 South St, 7045 O St, Lincoln; 2605 S.171st St, 13155 W. Center Rd, 3701 N.132nd St., 9001 Blondo St., 5038 Center St., Omaha; 205 W.27th St., Scottsbluff
Wal-Mart Pharmacy, 1882 Holly St., Blair; 818 E. 23rd St., Columbus; 1800 E. 29th St., Crete; 2831 Hwy.15, Fairbury; 3010 E. 23rd Ave North, Fremont; 11350 Wickersham Blvd., Gretna; 3803 Osborne Dr., Hastings; 4700 N. 27th Street; 200 Frontier St., Lexington; 7045 O Street, 8700 Andermatt Dr., Lincoln; 1401 S. Dewey, North Platte; 8525 S.71st Plz., Papillion; 1326 280th Rd, Seward; 101 E. David Dr., York
Wells Drug, 113 S.4th St., Albion
West Holt Pharmacy, 313 W. Pearl St., Atkinson
Wisner Apothecary, 1024 Ave E. St.100, Wisner
Valley Pharmacy, 211 W.33rd St., Kearney
Pharmacies not listed who would like to join the program should email info@nebraskameds.org or call the Nebraska Pharmacists Association at 402-420-1500.
For information about substance use disorder treatment, call the Nebraska Family Helpline at 1-888-866-8660. They can help callers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with any problem. Interpreters are available. Online, please visit http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Addiction-Treatment-and-Recovery.aspx.
Need to talk or get immediate help in a crisis?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for English, 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish.
Nebraska Family Helpline, (888) 866-8660. They can engage Crisis Response Teams
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Rural Response Hotline, (800) 464-0258
Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 (oprime dos para Español), or text TalkWithUs for English or llámanos para español to 66746.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522
National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4AChild (1-800-422-4453) or text 1-800-422-4453
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
The Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116