Turn in your unwanted or unused medications and prescriptions for National Drug Take Back Day

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – National Drug Take Back Day is held twice a year on the last Saturdays in April and October. Today, two groups in the Chattahoochee Valley are participating in helping people take one small step of action — one that could prevent a lifetime of addiction.

“We’ll leave the drugs in our cabinets thinking, you know, none of that — but it also gives access to anyone who comes into our homes and knows that those drugs are in our cabinets,” said Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator , Jessica Ricks. . “This essentially prevents any accidental prescription overdoses from occurring in our community.”

For the second time this year, the West Central Health District and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office are teaming up to host their Drug Take Back event, along with providing free Narcan to attendees. The drive-thru currently runs from 10am to 2pm on Veterans Parkway and allows people to turn in unused or expired medication with no questions asked. By properly disposing of drugs, substance abuse can be further prevented and help keep them out of the wrong hands.

“Narcan is an opiate reversal drug, so anytime someone is experiencing an opioid overdose they can use Naloxone; you just administer that up the nose of the individual,” Ricks said. “Naloxone gives individuals extra time to get to an emergency department.”

If you can’t stop by today, you can visit the fourth floor of the Government Center to drop off your unwanted medications.