CENTERVILLE, IOWA -- While many people were enjoying Pancake Days, this gave the Appanoose County Sheriff's Office a chance to take a stand against illegal prescription drug use.
Sheriff Gary Anderson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, held a Drug Take Back Day Saturday.
Throughout the day the public was allowed to turn in any expired, un-used, or un-wanted prescription drugs at the Appanoose County Law Center with no questions asked.
It's events like this that help these items get disposed of properly and prevent public health issues such as the drugs getting into the water supply... and also safety issues such as the growing trend of prescription drug abuse.
"We are trying to prevent anybody getting a hold of them or selling them. So we are trying to target drug dealers so they don't get their hands on it and resell them. Also for teens who want to experiment and young children who accidentally get into prescription drugs," Anderson said.
Last April, Americans turned in about 276 tons of prescription drugs at over 5,600 sites across the country.
Sheriff Anderson said this is the fourth year of the Drug Take Back Event.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKTVO