Prescription drug drop off Saturday

Saline County Sheriff Keith Brown said Monday that the Sheriff's Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will sponsor a drug drop off 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Saline County Courthouse.

Citizens will be able to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Citizens may bring their pills to the courthouse for safe disposal at the parking lot at 15 E Poplar St., Harrisburg.

The Sheriff said the DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps. They can only accept pills or patches he said.

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

According to the sheriff, Americans disposed of 390 tons, over 780,000 pounds, of prescription drugs at nearly 6,100 sites operated by the DEA and 4,400 sites operated by state and local law enforcement.

Studies show that a majority of abusers of prescription drugs obtain them from family and friends. They are sometimes taken from the home medicine cabinet. Rates of prescription drug abuse are alarmingly high. Flushing them down the toilet poses risks of pollution and contamination.

Throwing them in the trash poses risks also.

Saline County started its drop off program with the DEA in 2010. The county holds two per year and the Sept. 27 drop off will be held in conjunction with Egyptian Health Department.

"We collect about 200 pounds per year," said Brown.