LITH Police Hosting Prescription Drug Take Back Day Event

LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL — In an effort to address a vital public safety and public health issue, the Lake in the Hills Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration are providing an upcoming opportunity for the public to rid their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. A National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 in the lower lobby of the Lake in the Hills Police Station, located at 1115 Crystal Lake Road, the LITH Police Department said in a release sent to Patch.

According to police, people can bring pills for disposal to the lower lobby, and only pills or patches will be accepted. Police ask members of the public to be sure all labels are removed or blacked out with a marker prior to drop off.

The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, according to the release.

According to authorities, Americans are now advised that their usual ways of disposing of unused medications—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

From 17 previous Take Back events, the DEA and its partners have taken in over 11 million pounds—over 5,900 tons—of pills, according to the release.

"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," police said, in the release. "The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet."

The Oct. 26 service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

For more information about the Take Back Day event on Oct. 26, visit DEATakeBack.com.