With public participation at an all-time high after four prior events in two years, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its partners will hold a fifth National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at thousands of sites across America on Saturday, Sept. 29.

The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office will host a prescription drug dropoff point from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Representatives from Donate Life America will also be on hand with information about organ donation, said Capt. Liz Croley of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office.
These Take Back Days give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Americans participating in DEA’s four previous Take-Back Days turned in nearly 1.6 million pounds — almost 774 tons — of prescription drugs.

Medicines that languish in home cabinets create a public health and safety concern because they are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high — more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined, according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

To learn more, visit www.dea.gov.