Prescription drug take-back event set Friday in Parker

Unused prescription pills in a home can become a poisoning risk for children and pets, a temptation for misuse, and a disposal problem for water systems and trash. Parker residents had a simple Friday morning option to clear them out: a prescription drug take-back event from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 401 Riverside Drive, at the urgent care and pharmacy site.

The chamber listing said PAACE and La Paz Regional Hospital hosted the event, giving it the feel of a practical public-health partnership rather than a routine calendar item. Residents could bring unwanted or expired prescription medications and get them out of homes, cars, purses and bathroom cabinets in one short stop. In a rural county where many people live far from regular services, that kind of centralized drop-off can make the difference between pills sitting forgotten for months and pills being removed before they are shared by mistake or found by a child.

The Parker event also landed one day before the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, set for Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at nearly 4,200 locations nationwide. The DEA says Take Back Day is meant to provide a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of prescription drugs while also educating the public about medication abuse. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes also urged Arizonans to dispose of old prescription medications safely and anonymously on April 25.

PAACE, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 1995, says its mission is to encourage youth to promote a drug-free, violence-free community. That prevention message carries extra weight in La Paz County, where PAACE says prescription drugs are among the most commonly abused drugs among 12- and 13-year-olds. The organization also says the county has two locations where residents can safely dispose of prescription drugs, including a drop box at the Parker Police Department, 1314 W. 11th Street in Parker.

The Arizona Department of Health Services maintains opioid-prevention dashboards and overdose data resources, underscoring that medication disposal is part of a larger public-health response. For Parker, the April 24 event fit into a day already packed with community activities, making it easier for residents to turn one quick errand into a direct step toward safer households and less drug waste.