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If you have unused, unwanted or expired prescription drugs around the house, Saturday is your chance to get rid of them.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is a national effort to collect such medications.
There are two goals. The first is to keep them out of the environment. Throwing medications into landfills, or flushing them down the toilet, can contaminate the water supply, and cause harm to people and animals.
The second is to keep them out of the hands of those whom they might harm. Curious children could receive harmful doses. People dealing with addiction could abuse them.
Not all drugs and related items can be accepted. Liquids, sharps and illegal drugs are among the things that can’t be turned in.
Tablets, capsules, and patches are acceptable, as are e-cigarette devices, if the batteries are removed.
You can turn them in Saturday between 10:00 and 2:00 at the MTU Public Safety Office, and at the sheriff’s departments in Ontonagon, Keweenaw, Baraga and Houghton Counties.
And, in fact, Houghton County Sheriff Brian McLean says you can drop such items off at their office anytime…
Still, McLean sees value in taking a day to highlight the process…
Drugs can be turned in anonymously. McLean suggests removing or blocking out the names on the prescription labels to preserve privacy.
