Area law enforcement agencies will again host the semi-annual National Drug Take-Back Day, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency initiative to safely dispose of expired and unwanted medications, on Saturday.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office will host take-backs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Tractor Supply Company, the former site of Orscheln, 1025 East U.S. 62 in Mtn. Home. The West Plains Police Department has a drop box that is available 24 hours a day, every day, for those wishing to dispose of medications. That drop box is inside the lobby of the police station, 1912 Holiday Lane in West Plains. Both events are free, confidential and no-questions-asked.
For a current list of participating law enforcement agencies, visit www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov, scroll down about half a page and click on the button for DEA National Rx Takeback, then choose “Locate a Collection Site Near You” at the top of the list on the next page.
All expired and unwanted medication may be dropped off, with the exception of needles and inhalers. Labels may be removed from containers, if desired. All medications will later be destroyed.
A box to drop off medications anonymously is also located in the lobby of the Howell County Sheriff’s Office, 1106 Missouri Ave. in West Plains, and is always available. Likewise a drop box is available at the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, 206 W. Eighth St. in Mtn. Home. The same restrictions apply with no needles or inhalers accepted.
Pharmaceutical products collected through the events and the drop boxes are destroyed by incineration.
National Drug Take-Back Day is coordinated by the DEA in an effort to encourage users of prescription drugs to dispose of any expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs, in part to keep them out of the hands of friends and family members who might misuse or abuse them after taking them from a home medicine cabinet.
The DEA reported on the last Drug Take Back Day in April 2023, about 4,500 law enforcement agencies participated at nearly 5,000 collection sites nationally to dispose of more than 663,000 pounds of medication, or the equivalent of about 201 midsize cars.
