Lake County Gazette

On Saturday, April 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Lake Zurich Police

Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will offer the public

an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by disposing of potentially

dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Tablets, capsules,

patches, liquids, and other solid forms of prescription drugs will be accepted

for disposal at the Lake Zurich Police Department located at 200 Mohawk Trail

in Lake Zurich. The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.

In partnership with local law enforcement, DEA Take Back Day has removed 9,600

tons of medication from circulation since its inception. This initiative

addresses a critical public safety and health issue as medicines that remain

in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are high, as are the numbers of

accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse

and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and

Health consistently shows that most misused and abused prescription drugs are

obtained from family and friends, including medication stolen from home

medicine cabinets.

Additionally, Americans are reminded that flushing unused medicines down the

toilet or throwing them in the trash poses potential safety and health hazards.