CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Once again, it’s time to get rid of any unused or expired prescription medications in your home to help prevent the risks they may pose.

The DEA’s biannual National Drug Take Back Day returns in the fall.

Regional and local law enforcement agencies will host Drug Take Back events across the country and state on Saturday, October 26, as part of the initiative.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office will be holding an event this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its three main detachments in Elkview, Quincy and Cross Lanes.

Sergeant Joshua Lester with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office said this event helps prevent unused prescription medications from falling into the wrong hands.

“The big mission in this is to go into people’s closets and find all these old medications that maybe they’re holding on to, haven’t thrown away or don’t know what to do with, and help them. “Get it out of their home so we can dispose of it safely,” Lester said.

Whether it’s someone prone to substance abuse, an elderly person at risk of a break-in, if someone knows they’re handling prescription pills, children or animals, it helps prevent a number of risky situations, he said.

Lester said they have found that taking preventive measures like the Drug Take Back helps better combat the state’s ongoing drug crisis as a whole.

“That’s the biggest thing; we’re just trying to do our part to help get these prescription drugs off the streets and out of the wrong hands, because like I said, it’s so easy when they’re at home.” he said.

He said that last October’s Drug Take Back Day statistics alone showed that they managed to collect over 130 pounds of prescription drugs, which they turned over to the DEA for destruction.

This helps contribute to the overall impact the initiative is having everywhere, Lester said.

“This is just a small part of Kanawha County, so you can imagine what they will actually do on a national level one day,” he said.

Lester said they accept prescription medications in tablets, capsules, patches or other solid forms. Liquid medications, such as syrup, should remain in their original containers and be tightly closed if you plan to bring them, he said.

Lester lists the drugs they will not accept.

“We do not want any sharps or syringes brought in, if there are any illegal drugs that someone may have, this is not the place to dispose of them, we would rather you call 911 and have a deputy come pick them up,” Lester said.

KCSO will hold Drug Take Back Day on Saturday at three of its detachments:

. Elkview – 1078 Main Street

. Quincy – 2700 East Dupont Avenue

. Cross Lanes – 903 Cross Lanes Drive

There will also be events held at various locations in Charleston, including:

. Walgreens – 655 Washington St. W.

. Drug Store – 1603 Kanawha Boulevard W.

. WV Drug Intervention Institute – 118 Capitol St.

. Fruth Pharmacy – 854 Oakwood Rd.

. Kroger, Ashton Place – 1100 Fledderjohn Rd.

. State Capitol Complex Safe Zone adjacent to the Cultural Center – 1900 Kanawha Blvd. TO.

Jackson County Health Department Administrator Amy Haskins reiterates that this initiative protects some vulnerable people in your home while also preventing anyone from the outside from getting their hands on the medications.

“Whether you’re talking about occasional visitors to your home or teenagers or younger children who may be in the home; The person who needs to get it will not only be protecting your home, but also your community, Haskins said.

Haskins said three Drug Take Back locations will also be set up in Jackson County from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

. Ravenswood Volunteer Fire Department – 333 Virginia St.

. Kenna Volunteer Fire Department

. Walgreens in Ripley – 635 Main St.

Haskins said the activity is completely anonymous and they are trying to make it as easy as possible for people to do so.

“You bring it to us, however you want to package it, they prefer it to be in its original bottle, but if you feel the need to put it in a Ziploc bag, Kroger bag, etc., you leave it. , we throw it in a box and there are absolutely no questions asked,” he said.

According to the DEA, a total of 335 tons of prescription drugs were collected from Drug Take Back events in April and nearly 300 tons were collected last October.

Haskins said that through this initiative, the DEA was able to safely dispose of all the drugs they received.

“It is combined with what was collected in the state of West Virginia and taken to an incinerator so it can be burned and disposed of properly,” Haskins said. “Medicine is not something you want to flush down the toilet, or we’ve had stories of people burying things in their backyards.”

National Drug Take Back Day is held annually on the last Saturday of April and October.

You can find it by visiting a Drug Take Back location near you. DEA.gov/ Drug Take Back Day.