Kent Police offer Prescription Drug Take Back Day Sept. 29

Published 11:20 am Monday, September 10, 2012

Kent Police will sponsor another National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29.

The collection site will be in front of the Kent Police Station, 220 Fourth Ave. S.

The goal of the program is to provide a safe and secure environment for community members to turn in unused, expired or otherwise unneeded medications. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration spearheads the nationwide effort to safely return prescription drugs.

While more than 2.1 million teens report abusing prescription drugs, the elderly are also vulnerable to prescription misuse as they are prescribed more medications than their younger counterparts, according to a Kent Police media release. While most people take prescription medications responsibly, 48 million people have reported using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. This represents nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population.

Medications that can be dropped off can include:

• Controlled, non-controlled and over the counter medicines

• All solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers

• Liquid products, such as cough syrup, cold medicines, etc.

Collections sites will be unable to collect intra-venous solutions, injectibles, syringes, medical waste or illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamines.