EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County’s law enforcement agencies, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, will operate a drop-off site for Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24, in Edwardsville.
Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine, Sheriff Jeff Connor, Coroner Nick Novacich and Emergency Management Agency personnel will be operating the drop-off site in coordination with the DEA.
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The drop-off site, open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., offers drive-up service.
The site will be in the Madison County Administration Building’s back parking lot on Second Street in Edwardsville. The address for the Administration Building is: 157 North Main Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025.
Coroner Novacich said: “Keeping unused and expired medications out of circulation helps protect our families and our communities. Proper disposal reduces the risk of these drugs being misused or accidentally taken by someone they weren’t intended for. We encourage residents to take a few minutes to clean out their medicine cabinets and bring those medications to our collection site.”
Sheriff Connor said, “Prescription medications can be dangerous when they get into the wrong hands. Drug Take Back Day gives residents a safe, convenient way to dispose of medications they no longer need and helps prevent them from being misused. We appreciate the public’s participation in this effort to protect our communities.”
Haine added: “Preventing drug abuse starts with practical steps we can take right here at home. Safely disposing of unused medications helps reduce the opportunity for misuse and can help prevent addiction before it begins. We encourage residents to take advantage of this service, and we appreciate the cooperation among our local agencies and the DEA in making it available.”
Many opioid addictions start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision.
Items that can be accepted at the event include:
• Prescription medication, including controlled substances
• Over-the-counter medications
• Vitamins
Items that cannot be accepted include:
• Any illicit drugs. (These substances can be turned over to a police department at any time.)
• Sharp objects, including needles, auto-injectors, etc. Please check with your waste disposal
company to learn their procedures for the safe disposal of these items.
• Liquids not secured in a leak-proof container. • Biohazardous materials.
• Glass objects, including thermometers or other medical devices.
• Aerosols, including inhalers.
Since 2010, DEA, along with its law enforcement partners, has collected 20.4 million pounds of unneeded prescription medications through this program.
