18-03-2025
Medicine take-back event happening in Grand Forks from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 18
Mar. 18—GRAND FORKS — A medicine take-back event is happening in Grand Forks from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 18.
The event will be at 1375 S. Columbia Rd., in the parking lot near the Perkins restaurant.
The event will accept creams, inhalers, pills, patches, liquids and pet medications. Sharps will not be accepted.
"What we don't want people doing is putting it down the toilet and having it get into the water system, because there are so many medications out there that would be a detriment to our water system," said Safe Kids Grand Forks Coordinator Carma Hanson.
Safe Kids is the main sponsor of the take-back.
The event is a "Battle of the Badges," a yearly opportunity for the UND Police Department, Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office and Grand Forks Police Department to promote safe disposal of medications.
"It sometimes gets to be a little bit of a heated challenge, as they're all trying to vie for bragging rights — knowing that their efforts are helping to keep our community a little bit safer," Hanson said.
The next medicine take-back will be from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3.
There are also permanent drop boxes throughout Greater Grand Forks, including at the Grand Forks law enforcement center, UND Police Department, East Grand Forks Police Department and many local pharmacies.
National Poison Prevention Week is underway, starting March 16 and lasting through March 22.
