The Saline County Sheriff’s Office will be among agencies across the country participating in the National Drug Take Back Day this weekend.
Saline County Sheriff Lt. Sean Kochanowski tells KSAL News that the annual Drug Enforcement Administration “Drug Take Back Day” is this Saturday.
The collection events are part of a nationwide effort to safely dispose of leftover medications to prevent accidental or intentional misuse. Since the Drug Take-Back Day program began in 2010, more than 88 tons of unwanted medications have been collected and destroyed in Kansas alone.
The National Drug Take-Back Day is coordinated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which collects and safely destroys the medications.
Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates opioid overdoses kill 130 Americans every day. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, pharmaceutical opioids are a leading cause of drug poisoning deaths in Kansas.
Studies show a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that traditional methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – pose potential safety and health hazards and should be avoided.
Medications will be accepted at drop-off sites across the state from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. To find a location, visit www.ag.ks.gov.
Saline County Sheriff deputies will be at Dillons, 1235 E. Cloud St., Salina; Wal-Mart, 2900 S. 9th St., Salina; Sam’s Club, 2919 Market Pl., Salina; and the Salina Regional Health Center, 400 S. Santa Fe, Salina. From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., deputies will be accepting any prescription drugs to take back.
Unused prescriptions can be turned in year-round at many local law enforcement locations. Kansans should contact their local sheriff’s office or police department for more information.
As always, Kochanowski reminds citizens that they can also leave at any time unused prescription drugs at the Saline County Sheriff’s Office drop box, 255 N. 10th St., Salina.
