The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Unit are asking Etowah County citizens to participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
The event will take place on April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the East Gadsden Wal-Mart.
“This is a great opportunity for individuals who have accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications,” Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin said.
“People can also bring their outdated over-the-counter medications to be disposed properly.”
A law enforcement officer will remain with the drug disposal box at all times, and the drugs that are turned in will be treated as evidence and properly disposed of.
The Take Back initiative is designed so law enforcement officers will not handle the medications at any time, and there is no cost for those who wish to turn drugs in.
“Those wishing to dispose of drugs can bring the original containers, but any identifying information should be removed,” Entrekin said.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration website, “In the seven previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners have collected over 3.4 million pounds (1,733 tons) of prescription medications were removed from circulation.”
In Alabama, 24,739.50 pounds of unused, expired or unwanted prescription drugs have been collected since the beginning of the Take-Back Initiative.
The website, http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/, also says the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.
“This event is one way Etowah County citizens can help our narcotic agents keep the illegal use of prescription medications out of the wrong hands and off our streets,” Entrekin said.
“I encourage everyone to clean out their medicine cabinets and get rid of unused medications.”