Drug Take Back Event this Saturday

The Newport Police Department has teamed up with the Drug Enforcement Administration and will host a prescription drug take back event on Saturday.

It's the city's eighth annual drug take back event and it's part of a national initative to prevent pill abuse and theft.

"Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs," said Lt. William Fitzgerald of Newport Police. "Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards."

The Newport Police Department will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at Newport Police Department’s Assembly Room on Saturday, April 26th, 2014 from 10 A.M.-2 P.M. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.