29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday

SPRINGFIELD — The Drug Enforcement Administration, in collaboration with nearly 4,000 law enforcement partners across the country, will host the 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Drug Take Back Day encourages Americans to safely and anonymously dispose of unnecessary, expired, and unused prescription medications to help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental overdoses and poisonings.

"Prescription drugs may be legal, but they are still powerful — and can present significant risk to those in your household," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Join in the DEA's National Take Back Day to lessen community risk from drug abuse and keep Americans safe."

Since 2010, Take Back Day has provided Americans with an easy, accessible way to rid their homes of medications that could pose a threat if misused — resulting in a staggering 20 million pounds of unused medications collected to date.

DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs will not be collected. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be securely sealed in their original container.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine, are among the most frequently misused prescription pain medications.

For more information or to find a location nearest you, visit DEATakeBack.com.

If you are unable to participate in this national event, there are nearly 16,500 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses, in addition to many police departments, that offer safe medication disposal year-round. For information on permanent drop boxes, visit dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day.

Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .