Saturday, April 29, is a great day to clean out your medicine cabinet. South Dakota is taking part in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Program. It's a day when you can take old and unneeded prescription drugs to local law enforcement for disposal.

From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, law enforcement, in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration, will give people the chance to prevent pill abuse and theft by getting rid of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

“Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet,” said Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon. “Additionally, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – pose potential safety and health hazards.”

According to the South Dakota Department of Health, there were 65 drug overdose deaths in the state in 2015, making South Dakota the second lowest in the nation for drug overdose deaths. As the national number of overdoses is high, the Department is urging residents to be vigilant.

“Prescription drug abuse is affecting families and communities all across the nation. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse,” said Gov. Dennis Daugaard. “I applaud the law enforcement community for taking a proactive approach to preventing the abuse of these drugs.”

In South Dakota you can take unwanted prescription potion drugs to these law enforcement agencies on Saturday, April 29 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM:

Sioux Falls Area:

  • Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, 301 E. Willow Street Harrisburg, SD
  • Brandon Police Department, 304 S Main Ave Brandon, SD

South Dakota:

  • Madison Police Department, 116 W Center Street Madison, SD
  • Yankton Police Department, 410 Walnut, Suite 102 Yankton, SD
  • Aberdeen Police Department, 114 SE 2nd Ave  Aberdeen, SD
  • Lake County Sheriff's Office, 219 Ne 1st Street Madison, SD
  • Winner Police Department, 217 East 3rd Street Winner, SD
  • Belle Fourche Police Department  1010 8th Avenue Belle Fourche  SD,
  • Clark Police Department  120 N Commercial Street Clark SD,
  • Eagle Butte Police Department  209 Main Street Eagle Butte SD,
  • Milbank Police Department 1001 E 4th Avenue Milbank SD,
  • Pierre Police Department  222 E. Dakota Avenue Pierre SD,
  • Rapid City Police Department Public Safety Building, 300 Kansas City Street Rapid City SD
  • Spearfish Police Department, 625 5th Street Spearfish SD
  • Spearfish Police Department  Spearfish Recreation and Aquatics Center Lookout Room 9:00 AM-2:00 PM, 122 Recreation Lane Spearfish SD
  • Codington County Sheriff's Office, 14 1st Ave SE  Watertown SD,

 

A list of more participating law enforcement agencies throughout the country is available at: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov.


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