Maryville Public Safety taking back unwanted prescription drugs on April 29

From 10 am to 2 pm, Saturday, April 29, Maryville Public Safety and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 13th opportunity in seven years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their houses of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring pills for disposal to Maryville Public Safety, 222 East Third, or the Maryville Wal-Mart. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous; no questions will be asked.

In total, the DEA and its partners have taken in more than 7.1 million pounds of pills since the program began.

This initiative addresses a public safety and public health issue. According to the DEA, unused medicines are susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse and rates of prescription drug abuse in the US 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. The DEA also says 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.