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By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Law enforcement officials at locations across the country, including Hays will be collecting unused leftover medications for safe disposal during this weekend’s National Drug Take-Back Day.
The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office along with the Hays Police Department will hold collections at two sites this Saturday in Hays as part of a nationwide effort to safely dispose of leftover medications to prevent accidental or intentional misuse.
Detective Chuck White with the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department said they will have collection sites at the Good Samaritan Center at 2700 Canal and in the north parking lot of the sheriff’s office at 105 W. 12th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
White said, “It’s just a good way for one to get rid of meds that are expired, no longer needed and that they don’t want lying around that house.”
They will take capsules, tablets, liquids – in their containers with a lid and powders. The only things they will not take, according to White, is inhalers – aerosols – and syringes.
The are more overdoses from prescription and over the counter medications than from all other illegal drugs combined. White said this is, “another great reason to get these out of your home, out of your office, out of your medicine cabinets.”
The Kansas Attorney General’s Office said, “Studies show a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.”
The sheriff’s office has taken part in the event every year since the program began in 2010, collection thousands of pounds of medications.
The drop-offs are completely anonymously and once all the medications are gathered up they are sent to the Drug Enforcement Agency to be destroyed.
Ellis County is also planning to install a permanent drop-off location inside the law enforcement center. White said they have purchased, with the use of forfeited funds from the Drug Enforcement Unit, a MedReturn lockbox that will allow people to drop-off unused medications anytime.