By George Slaughter
The public will be given the chance to safely dispose of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications Saturday at the 20th Annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Event Saturday.
The event is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Mark L. Hopkins Law Enforcement Center, 20370 Franz Road.
According to the DEA, pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when they are taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision. Needles or sharp objects will not be accepted and any liquids must be in prescribed containers.
“This service is free and anonymous with no questions asked of those individuals who decide to participate,” Katy ISD Police Chief Henry Gaw said in a news release. “Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, our collection efforts will be similar to last year with a contactless, drive-thru disposal process where residents can safely drop off unwanted medications.”
Through the National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and its partners have collected nearly 13.6 million pounds of unused prescription medications. Last October, Americans turned over 492.7 tons (985,392 pounds) of potentially harmful medicines.
At the Katy ISD Police Department, officers collected over 900 pounds of unused or expired medications.