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What’s in your medicine cabinet could end up in the wrong hands.

That’s why area law enforcement agencies are taking part in the 4th Annual National Drug Take Back Day.

The program lets you properly dispose of old pills and medications.

Former Columbia Mayor Darwin Hindman was one of the first to take back some unwanted pills from his medicine cabinet during this year’s National Drug Take Back event.

Hindman said, “I’ve heard about the issues of people keeping them around the house and kids getting involved.  We don’t have any of that at our house.  Get rid of them.  Get rid of them the right way.”

The actual event takes place on Saturday.  However, Boone County Law Enforcement Agencies set up a drug take back station on Friday at Columbia’s Truman Veteran’s Hospital as part of a two-day collection.  Archie and Anna Jackson brought several bags of medications to the collection site.  They don’t want any children getting their hands on their old prescriptions.

Anna Jackson said, “You don’t want them to get into it and have an issue, maybe.  It could be life threatening.”

Archie Jackson said, “We don’t have children. We have nieces and nephews and know people that have children.  We dispose of things properly for safety as well.”

Expired pills and other medications are targets for drug abuse, theft and sales on the black market.

It’s not only dangerous to have old prescription drugs in your medicine cabinet.  It’s also dangerous to put them in your water supply.  Members of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said too many people flush their old pills down the toilet.

Boone County Sheriff’s Deputy Trevor Fowler, “City utilities and sewer systems have a real difficult time extracting the medication back out of the water supply.  That could be timely and costly.”

The drug take back event is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

The event takes place at the following locations and times.

Boone County:

Saturday, April 28^th, 2012 (10:00 AM to 1:00 PM)

            Ashland High School, 14520 Crump Ln, Ashland

            Centralia Police Department Lobby, 114 S. Rollins, Centralia

            Hallsville Intermediate School Commons, 421 E. Highway 124, Hallsville

            Hickman High School, 1104 N. Providence, Columbia

            Rock Bridge High School, 4303 S. Providence Rd., Columbia

            Sturgeon High School, 24350 N. Fairgrounds Rd., Sturgeon

Citizens may go to any one of these locations during the times listed and drop off their unwanted medications for disposal.  Please, no sharps or syringes. Following the collection, all medications will be turned over to the DEA for proper disposal.

Osage Beach:

Drug Take Back Day on Saturday April 28th

Osage Beach City Hall, 10 am to 2 pm.

All prescription drugs accepted for disposal, no questions asked.

Jefferson City:

On April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Jefferson City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your medications for disposal to the Jefferson City Police Department at 401 Monroe Street.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Holts Summit:

National Drug Take Back Day

On Saturday, April 28, 2012 the Holts Summit Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.  From 10:00am until 2:00pm, anyone can bring medications for disposal to the Holts Summit City Hall at 245 South Summit Drive.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.