Prescription drug abuse is one of the most common forms of addiction.

Captain Chuck Leithoff, JCPD, said that taking drugs not specifically prescribed to you or for longer than the time prescribed is dangerous.

“Prescription abuse is probably one of the main types of activity that [we] see; as people either get old prescriptions, or they get prescriptions from family members and then they take them and of course, if they weren’t prescribed for them, then they shouldn’t take them,” said Leithoff.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has partnered with local police across the nation, including the Junction City Police Department, to help get rid of some of those old prescriptions.

“The Drug Enforcement Agency basically was looking for a way for people to get rid of outdated prescriptions or prescriptions that they no longer take,” said Leithoff.

The old rule of thumb use to be to flush old pills down the toilet, but Leithoff said that is no longer considered the safest way to rid oneself of old prescriptions.

“[They] decided to do this take back program, where people can bring them in anonymously, and turn them in to the police,” said Leithoff.

Officers will take all prescription drugs no questions asked, and then package and send them to the DEA for proper disposal.

The last Drug Take Back program the JCPD hosted was six months ago and Leithoff said they sent almost 200 pounds of old prescriptions to the DEA for disposal.

There are no special rules to the drug take back, but liquids and needles will not be accepted.

“We can take any kind of pill, any kind of patch, and we can even take over the counter [drugs]; but they don’t have to package them, just put them in a sac and bring them in to the lobby,” said Leithoff.

An officer will be in the lobby of the Police Department located at 210 E. 9th Street, awaiting the prescription drop-offs.

The drug take back will be on Saturday, October 22nd from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.

For more information, contact the Junction City Police Department at 762-5912.