PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Scioto County residents can safely clear out unused and expired prescription medications this weekend, as the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office takes part in the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 24, 2026, Sheriff David Thoroughman announced in a news release on Wednesday, October 21.
The drop-off will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in front of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office at 1025 16th Street in Portsmouth. The service is free and anonymous, and the sheriff’s office said no questions will be asked of residents who bring medications in for disposal.
“Medicine cabinets across Scioto County are full of medications that are no longer needed, and every one of them is a risk,” Sheriff Thoroughman said in the release. “Take Back Day is a simple way for families to make their homes safer and keep these drugs out of the wrong hands.”
The sheriff’s office said unused and expired prescription medications are a public safety concern because they can lead to accidental poisonings, overdoses and abuse. Prescription drugs can be just as dangerous as illegal drugs when they are taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision, the office said, and many teens who misuse prescription drugs get them from family members and friends, often straight from the home medicine cabinet.
Throwing old medications in the trash is not a safe fix, according to the release, because they can be retrieved, abused or illegally sold. Flushing them is not recommended either, because it can contaminate local water supplies. Proper disposal, the office said, protects both people and the environment.
The Portsmouth event is part of the national Drug Enforcement Administration take back effort, which gives households a scheduled, no-cost way to dispose of medications they no longer need instead of leaving them stored at home. For Scioto County families, Saturday’s four-hour window is a chance to handle that cleanout in one short trip to the sheriff’s office.
“If you don’t safely dispose of unused or expired medications, someone else may find a use for them,” Sheriff Thoroughman added. “Please take a few minutes on October 24 to clean out your medicine cabinet. It could save a life.” The Scioto County Sheriff’s Office is at 1025 16th Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662, and can be reached at 740-355-8261.