On Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office 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 homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring your pills for disposal to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Annex, located at 110 W. Market St. in Washington Court House (across from the Huntington Bank drive-thru). Drop-offs can be made by pulling to the rear door of the Sheriff’s Annex in the cruiser parking area where a deputy will meet you to retrieve the pharmaceuticals for destruction. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last October, Americans turned in 366 tons (over 730,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,200 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 12 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 7.1 million pounds—more than 3,500 tons—of pills.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly 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.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 29 Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website. As a reminder, expired, unused or unwanted medications can also be dropped off at any time day or night throughout the year by utilizing the drop-off container located in the lobby area of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office/Jail building located at 113 E. Market St. in Washington Court House.