If you have expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs, the DEA wants them. On October 23rd, Christian County, along with the state of Illinois, will have a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Members of Taylorville Memorial Hospital Community Outreach and Christian County Prevention Coalition, there will be a collection site at Walgreens in Taylorville, where police officers will collect the unwanted prescription medication from 10 AM until 2 PM.
Sponsored by the DEA, the day provides a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. Christian County residents may also dispose of unwanted prescription drugs at the Pana Police Department at 118 East 3rd Street in Pana and the Pawnee Police Department at 617 7th Street in Pawnee. Residents dropping off medicine should use the drive-thru at the police department.
The service is free and anonymous, absolutely no questions will be asked. Medicine may be left in the packaging and police are unable to accept liquids or needles—only pills or patches. A lot of people dispose of pills in the toilet or throw them in the trash, and that poses safety and health risks. During the last National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day event, Americans turned in more than 830,000 pounds of prescription drugs at 5,060 sites.
According to the DEA”s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day website, the majority of misused and abused drugs are obtained from family and friends including stolen medicine.
