Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.  It's aimed at providing a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration says this gives the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. 

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.  Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.  In addition, 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.

Local law enforcement agencies and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.

Greater Danbury area drop box locations open Saturday from 10am to 2pm include:

Danbury Police Department

New Fairfield Resident State Trooper Office

Newtown Police Department

Ridgefield Police Department

Sherman Resident State Trooper Office

Southbury Resident State Trooper Office

Weston Police Department