Got unwanted over-the-counter or prescription drugs?
McMinnville Police Department will be accepting medication on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The department is participating in this year’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). 
“If anyone has any over-the-counter medication or prescription medication they would like to drop off, I’ll be here accepting those,” said McMinnville Police Department Capt. Derwin Adcock. “I’ll be sitting in front of the building under an awning. Just pull up, you don’t even have to get out of your car.”
The DEA collection effort aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. In take-back events nationwide from 2010 to 2014, 4.8 million pounds of unwanted medication was accepted at collection sites.
If individuals have items they would like to drop off but they cannot make the four-hour window this Saturday, the police department has a medicine disposal container located inside the lobby of the building. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for people who have medication they no longer want.
Acceptable items include prescription medications, all over-the-counter medications, pet medications, medicated ointment, lotions or drops, liquid medications in leak-proof containers, inhalers, pills in any packaging, including glass, plastic or Ziploc bags or foil.
Not acceptable items include illegal drugs and narcotics, needles or syringes with needles, blood sugar equipment, thermometers, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, or personal care products, such as shampoo and lotion.
“I would say we average 9-10 pounds of medication a month in the disposal container,” said Adcock. “That’s 9-10 pounds that’s been removed from the community and was properly disposed of so it won’t damage the environment.”
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, much like the disposal container, is 100 percent anonymous. It is recommended the medication be in its original container, if possible. The name and address need to be marked out. However, do not cross out the name of the medication.
McMinnville Police Department is located at 204 Red Road.
For more information about the collection effort, call 473-3808.