Cape, Jackson police to collect unwanted prescription drugs Saturday; voluntary drop off is part of national DEA program

Area residents can drop off unwanted, unused and expired prescription medications Saturday at the Cape Girardeau and Jackson police departments.

The nationwide drug take-back program is offered in conjunction with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The service is free and anonymous, police said.

Jackson police said the DEA cannot accept liquids or needles, only pills and patches.

Cape Girardeau police said in a news release that "we cannot accept needles, inhalers or other compressed air cylinders."

The drug take-back program is designed to prevent pill abuse, Jackson police said in a news release.

Last October, Americans turned in 366 tons of prescription drugs at almost 5,200 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners, the release said.

Jackson police said Saturday's program is the 13th such event in the past seven years.

Overall, in 12 previous take-back events, DEA and its partners have collected more than 3,500 tons of pills, Jackson police said.

"Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet," Jackson police said in a news release.

Cape Girardeau police information officer Rick Schmidt said Saturday's event is not the only time the public can drop off prescription drugs. The police department has a secured, steel collection box in the lobby of the police station at 2530 Maria Louise Lane, where medications can be dropped off anonymously at any time of the day or night, 365 days year, according to the city's website.

Liquid medicines are not accepted in the collection box, Schmidt said.

Schmidt said people should remove or blackout patients' names and prescription numbers from the pill bottles before dropping them off.

According to the city website, no investigations will be conducted in connection with any prescription drugs dropped off at the police station.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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