Grand Strand Health to host 8th Annual “CRUSH THE CRISIS” Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 24
October 21, 2026
Grand Strand Health is hosting its 8th “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take back day on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, to help make safe medication disposal more accessible and raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse. The event, which coincides with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, offers the community an opportunity to safely and anonymously dispose of medications to help prevent misuse.
Grand Strand Health is participating as part of HCA Healthcare’s eight annual national “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take back day. Since 2019, HCA Healthcare has helped safely dispose of more than 108,500 pounds of unused or expired medication. 
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an estimated 7.2 million people age 12 or older misused prescription pain relievers in 2025.
“Unused medications can easily be forgotten in a cabinet or drawer, but safely disposing of them is an important step we can all take to keep our communities safer,” said Dr. George Helmrich, chief medical officer of Grand Strand Health. “Through Crush the Crisis, we’re proud to give our community a safe, anonymous and convenient way to take that step and help create a healthier tomorrow for Horry County.”
Law enforcement officers from the Myrtle Beach Police Department will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana). Ointments, lotions, drops, liquid medication in leak-proof containers, vape cartridges without batteries and pet medication will also be accepted. Any medications will be accepted; however, needles, syringes, lancets or liquids will not be accepted.
As a part of their commitment to combat prescription drug misuse, HCA Healthcare, the parent company of Grand Strand Health, has worked with the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.
HCA Healthcare uses data from approximately 47 million annual patient encounters to help continuously improve care. The organization uses the science of “big data” to reduce prescription drug misuse and transform pain management, with initiatives in surgical, emergency and other care settings, including:
- Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR): a multi-modal approach to pain management using pre, intra and post-operative interventions to optimize outcomes. HCA Healthcare’s ESR programs have demonstrated significant improvements in surgical recovery and patient satisfaction, including decreases in opioid usage.
- Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): aims to stem increasing rates of opioid-related addiction, misuse diversion and death by making it more difficult for medication-seekers to doctor-shop and alter prescriptions. Physicians have access to aggregated electronic health records, providing data that will allow them to prescribe opioids judiciously.
“Crush the Crisis” will take place in the Target parking lot at 1150 Seaboard St., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. For more information, visit HCAhealthcare.com/crushthecrisis or call toll-free number at (833) 582-1970.
