Help stop the opioid epidemic!

Kane County law enforcers are once again collecting expired, unused and unwanted prescription medicines from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, during the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Takeback Day.

Kane County sites listed on the DEA website as of Oct. 22 are as follows:

• ALGONQUIN POLICE DEPARTMENT — Map
• AURORA POLICE DEPARTMENT — Map
• BATAVIA POLICE DEPARTMENT — Map
• CARPENTERSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT — Map
• ELGIN POLICE DEPARTMENT / SHERMAN HOSPITAL — Map
• GENEVA POLICE DEPARTMENT — Map
• HUNTLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT — Facebook Page
• KANE COUNTY CORONER’S OFFICE — Map
• ST. CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT / NORTHWESTERN MED — Map
• SUGAR GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT — Map

More About Drug Takeback Day

Did you know that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse? Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are extremely 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, disposing of unused medicines like flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards.

The Oct. 26 takeback is the 17th in nine years. Its goal is to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.