Kent sets Prescription Drug Take Back Day for April 28

Kent Police will offer a Prescription Drug Take Back Day so residents can safely get rid of their old medications.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28 in front of the Kent Police Station, 220 Fourth Ave. S.

The program is part of nationwide effort by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and local authorities to provide a safe and secure environment for the community to turn in unused or expired medications.

Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused narcotic, preceded only by marijuana, according to a Kent Police media release. The dangers posed by prescription medications have no boundaries. While more than 2.1 million teens report abusing prescription drugs, the elderly are also vulnerable to prescription misuse as they are prescribed more medications than their younger counterparts.

While most people take prescription medications responsibly, 48 million people have reported using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. This represents nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population.

“Each year we collect more unwanted or unusable medication,” said Kent Police Public Education Specialist Stacy Judd. “For that reason we know that this year’s effort will continue to safeguard the Kent community from misuse and improper disposal of unwanted medications.”

Medications that can be dropped off include:

• Controlled, non-controlled and over the counter medicines

• All solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers

• Liquid products such as cough syrup, cold medicines, etc.

Collections sites will be unable to collect:

• Intravenous solutions, injectables, syringes or medical waste

• Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamines