Prescription Drug Disposal and Resources

The Dalton Police Department provides the community a safe place to dispose of unused prescription medications.  The department has a prescription drug drop box installed in the lobby of the Police Services Center.  The box was donated by the CVS Pharmacy.

Unused prescription medications often sit in medicine cabinets where they can fall into the hands of kids or other people with access to the home.  Throwing medications out with the trash can be dangerous as certain medications can affect people or animals who come into contact with them.  Flushing medications can have a negative impact on the water supply.  By providing a safe place for people to dispose of unwanted or unused medications, the police department hopes to prevent those medications from potentially being abused or affecting our water.

The box can be used at the Police Services Center lobby at 301 Jones Street Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.  The box can be used only for prescription drugs.  It is not intended for the disposal of illegal drugs.  The box is also not intended for needles, liquids, inhalers, or thermometers.

If you have questions about what can be placed in the disposal box, please contact the Property and Evidence Section at 706-278-9085, dial 5.

CVS donated the box to the police department as part of their Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program.  CVS is located in Dalton at 2501 East Walnut Avenue.

Local Resources for Prescription Drug Abuse

If you or a loved one is struggling with prescription drug abuse, it’s important to know that you’re not alone.  An estimated 16 million Americans abuse prescriptions each year.  Of those, about 2 million become addicted.  For those who have crossed into heavy abuse or addiction, there are numerous resources available to support recovery:

• Georgia Crisis & Access Line - 1-800-715-4225 
• Alcoholics Anonymous in Georgia - Resource for finding in-person and virtual AA meetings throughout the state. 
• Recovery in Georgia - Locally run independent addiction recovery resource that features treatment centers, support meetings, and prevention resources located throughout Georgia. 
• Live Another Day – Curated list of the top-rated accredited drug rehab centers in Georgia. 
• The Summit Wellness Group - Highly-rated addiction treatment provider with multiple locations throughout Georgia. 
• Georgia Overdose Prevention Project - An advocacy organization that provides free naloxone kits to Georgians through the mail. 
• Opioid Overdose Rescue - Outlines 3 simple steps to save a life in the event of an opioid overdose.  Includes helpful reference videos.