Kootenai County Sheriff's Office collecting unwanted prescription drugs

HAYDEN - The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office will help collect prescription medications at Albertson’s in Hayden this Saturday. Citizens can safely and anonymously dispose of unneeded medications Saturday, Oct. 28 from 10 am. to 2 p.m. at the grocery store, 161 W. Prairie Ave.

According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. A majority of those drugs were obtained from family and friends, making it all the more important to clean unused or expired prescription medications out of the home medicine cabinet.

Unwanted medications can lead to potential accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose. However, simply flushing medicines down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. That’s where National Prescription Drug Take Back Day comes in.

Before disposing of prescription drugs, all identifying information should be scratched out.

There is also a prescription drop box in the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office’s lobby, 500 N. Government Way, Coeur d’Alene, that is available during normal business hours.