The Murphy Police Department is holding the first of two Drug Take Back Day events on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their headquarters. They will be accepting unwanted or expired prescription drugs for disposal, and they’ll even come to your car in the parking area to collect them.

“These popular events have become important for many residents,” says Lt. Adana Barber of the Murphy Police Department. People who have drugs and medications they no longer need or want now have someplace to take them. The alternatives of keeping them in the medicine cabinet for who knows how long or flushing down the toilet are not good ones.”

The twice-a-year Drug Take Back effort is designed to provide a place where unwanted or expired drugs can be safely and securely taken to remove them from circulation and to prevent them from being introduced into the water supply. The service is free and anonymous.

Properly disposing of these drugs can prevent them from being abused, as statistics show that over 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers get them through friends or relatives right out of the family medicine cabinet.

“It’s not unusual for Drug Take Back events to produce an accumulation of as much as 700 pounds of unused, unwanted, expired or unknown drugs,” Barber said. “We get both prescription and over-the-counter drugs and medications, and we take them all, with no questions asked.”

New or used needles, new or used syringes and full or empty pressurized inhalers will not be accepted.

For more information residents may call (972) 468-4210 or e-mail Lt. Barber at [email protected].

Joe Reavis • [email protected]

See more stories like this in the April 19 issue or subscribe online.