Police plan fifth drug take back day

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)  Indiana State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration are hosting a drug take back day so that people can safely get rid of unwanted or expired prescription drugs.

On Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., medications can be dropped off at the State Police Post located at 5811 Ellison Road. The service is free and anonymous.

According to DEA (Fort Wayne) Group Supervisor Stephen T. Ribolla, last April Americans turned in 276 tons of prescription drugs at nearly 10,000 sites. In its four previous Take Back events, the DEA and its law enforcement partners took in over 1.5 million pounds of pills.

Police said rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to drugs that sit unused. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. 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.