‘National Prescription Drug Take Back Day’ aims to help prevent addiction

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Saturday is National Drug Take Back Day, designated by the Drug Enforcement Administration to remove unneeded prescription medication from homes.

This is the 24th year the DEA has held this event. It offers the public an opportunity to anonymously dispose of their old, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs.

According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the majority of people who use a prescription medication for a non-medical purpose got it from family or friends. 

The danger is, these prescription medications can be a gateway to addiction. As we've seen with the opioid epidemic.

The DEA will be collecting tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. They'll also take your old vaping devices and cartridges, as long as batteries are taken out. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain tightly sealed in their original container.

Some things they will not accept are syringes, needles, and illicit drugs.

It'll be held from 10 a.m-2 p.m. Saturday at multiple locations around Southern Colorado. Including the King Soopers on Constitution in Colorado Springs, the Fountain Library, and Memorial Hospital North.

If you can't make it today, you can safely dispose of unneeded medications year-round at pharmacies, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies. The DEA has a link on their website to find a drop-off near you.