Colorado Springs Police highlight importance of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Tomorrow is National Drug Take-back Day, it's meant to keep people safe from prescription medication that is expired or no longer needed.

Multiple locations across southern Colorado will participate in the National Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) says that proper disposal of unused medication prevents the potential for accidents and misuse, protecting children and teens from harm. 

The CDPHE says that many people think it's okay to flush medications down the toilet or throw them in the trash, but that can impact the environment leading to contaminated water and dangers to wildlife.

It's also dangerous for people to become addicted or overdose on these old medications.

According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, forty-seven percent of teens say it is easy to get prescription drugs from a parent's medicine cabinet.

"You don't want somebody you know little hands, kids, or maybe a teenager just looking to maybe they have a headache when they come home from school. They're trying to get rid of that headache looking for an ibuprofen or a Tylenol and they accidentally get their hands on a prescription medication that can harm them or maybe something that they can become addicted to so it is really important you're disposing of them properly," said Colorado Springs Police Public Information Officer, Caitlyn Ford.

You can drop off your medication at any of the following locations:

• The Security Fire Department off Security Boulevard
• King Soopers off of Constitution Avenue
• The Colorado Springs Police Department Operations Center is off South Nevada
• Memorial Hospital North off Briargate Parkway

If you live in Pueblo, you can also go to the Pueblo Police Department between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Be sure to remove any personal information from the packaging and place them in a sealed bag or container.

To find more drop-off locations, click here.