SOUTH DAYTONA -- Residents are invited to clean out their medicine cabinet in an environmentally friendly way that also reduces the risk of prescription drugs being consumed inappropriately, said a spokeswoman for South Daytona.
On Saturday, the South Daytona Police Department will participate in the National Take Back Initiative. In a collaborative effort with the Drug Enforcement Agency, the police department will provide a collection site for the disposal of any expired, unwanted or unused medications. Medications can be dropped off at the police department lobby between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., South Daytona spokeswoman Jeanne Willard said.
Participants can dispose of medication in original containers or by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into the collection box.
The program is anonymous and no identification will be required. People are encouraged to remove any identifying information from the prescription label. Solid pharmaceuticals and liquids in original containers are accepted. Intra-venous solutions, injectibles and syringes will not be accepted.
"In the past, people were advised to flush unused medications down the toilet or throw them in," Willard said. "The Take Back Initiative will also address the growing problem of prescription drug abuse.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse an estimated 20 percent of people in the U.S. take prescription drugs for non-medical reasons and many abusers obtain these medications from family and
friends medicine cabinets, Willard said.