This Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Huron Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public an opportunity to dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the south side of City Hall at 239 Wisconsin Ave. SW. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The object of the program is to help residents prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes
Last April Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.
Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that 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 their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
If you are unable to make the event, there is also a 24/7 drop box, just inside the east entrance of City Hall. This box can be used year round, to help you dispose of unused medications and not have to wait until collection time.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 28 Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website or contact Sergeant Mark Johnson, at (605) 353-8550.