National Drug Take Back Day returns

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - A day to trash your old prescription drugs in the safest way.

National Drug Take Back Day is an initiative by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), that provides a simple and safe way to dispose of expired medications. The Jonesboro Police Department will be set up next to their prescription drug drop box from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28.

JPD Evidence Technician Courtney Smith said the DEA will collect the drugs on Monday, Oct. 30.

“They’ll take possession of all the prescription drugs we have collected, and they’ll take them to an incineration site and destroy them,” Smith said.

On Friday, Carl and Ingeborg Mosby of Jonesboro took prescription drugs they no longer use to the JPD collection site.

“We’re here to drop off out-of-date medication,” Carl said. “It keeps it out of the hands of other people that might misuse it.”

Smith agreed with the couple. She said this method is the safest way to get rid of medicine.

“They can be dangerous, habit forming, and we don’t want kids to get ahold of them,” she said.

Unused prescription and over-the-counter medicine can be dropped off, but they ask you not to bring any needles or other medical waste.

Smith said JPD participates in drug take-back days every six months, but the box is always there.

“If you can’t make it to the event on Saturday, we have a drug take-back box that’s available 24/7, 365 days a year,” she said.

If you don’t live in Jonesboro, click here to find a collection site near you.

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