Saturday Is Prescription Drug Drop Off Day

The Niles Police Department, 7000 W. Touhy, Niles, and Park Ridge Police Departments, 200 S. Vine, Park Ridge, on Saturday are participating in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which allows residents with expired or no-longer-needed prescriptions to easily dispose of them. 

Residents can stop by the departments from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to safely hand off unwanted and unused prescription drug products to Drug Enforcement Administration officials. 

"We are trying to get the prescription drugs out of the homes. Many kids' first experiences with prescription drug use started when they found it in their homes," said Gail Katz, founding director of Highland Park-based Save A Star Drug Awareness Foundation. Her son, Daniel Katz, died of a overdose in 2007 at age 25. 

The Niles Police Department warns that it's better to bring unwanted prescription products, with labels intact (black out the name with a marker, if desired, for privacy) to the drop-off than to throw them away.

"Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards," the department said in a statement.

During a similar DEA event in April, more than 500,000 pounds of medications in about 5,600 sites were collected, according to DEA officials. 

"While a uniform system for prescription drug disposal is being finalized, we will continue to sponsor these important take-back opportunities as a service to our communities," said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart, in a statement. "Our take-back events highlight the problems related to prescription drug abuse and give our citizens an opportunity to contribute to the solution."