The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) is urging residents to safely dispose of unused or expired medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day tomorrow (Saturday). DPS’s Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP), in collaboration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), hosts such events twice per year and provides Iowans with a secure, anonymous way to dispose of their leftover prescription and over-the-counter medications. During the last collection in April , Iowans turned in more than 7,500 pounds of unneeded medicine, bringing the state’s total to over 111 tons safely disposed of since the program began. ODCP Bureau Chief Susie Sher says, “Take a few minutes to check your home for any unused or expired medications. Safely disposing of these items helps prevent misuse, accidental overdose, and environmental harm. By taking unneeded medications to a designated collection site on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Iowans are doing their part to keep our communities healthy and safe.” Generally, collection sites will be staffed by participating law enforcement agencies and pharmacies across Iowa. Links to help you find a site near you are included with this story on our website. Many local pharmacies, sheriff’s offices, and courthouses maintain drug drop boxes, which can be found online as well.
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https://www.dea.gov/takebackday
dea.gov/takebackday or dps.iowa.gov.