CAMP DENALI, Alaska—The Drug Enforcement Administration, working closely with the Alaska National Guard and other state and federal agencies, has scheduled the fifth Prescription Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, September 29.

Take-Back Day is an opportunity for the American public in all 50 states and U.S. territories to safely dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs that may have accumulated over the years. Here in Alaska, the Alaska National Guard will be assisting law enforcement personnel in several of the 34 take-back locations statewide.

“As the Alaska National Guard Counter Drug Support Program, we provide people at many of the venues,” said Maj. Eric Schwalber, Alaska National Guard Counterdrug Support Program coordinator. “We man the stations, along with the law enforcement personnel, help set up, tear down and transport the turned in drugs for disposal.”

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day also educates people on the risks involved with keeping outdated prescriptions in your home.

“There are a number of risks with keeping outdated prescription drugs in your home,” Schwalber said. “One of the biggest concerns is kids who get started abusing drugs after raiding mom and dad’s medicine cabinet. Unfortunately, this experimentation sets the stage for addiction, as well as migration to other illicit drugs,and may be avoided if people dispose of their outdated prescription drugs.”

According to the DEA, National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day has been a resounding success, collecting more than 1.5 million pounds of medication in our communities, effectively removing them from circulation.

“This is an awesome opportunity for people in Alaska,” Schwalber said. “You don’t want to dispose of your old prescriptions by flushing them down the toilet or having it end up in the water system. This is a great opportunity to take a plastic bag full of prescriptions in your medicine cabinet, that you haven’t keep track of for years, and literally drop it off in a can at one of the collection points. It’s convenient, no hassle and will be destroyed in a proper way.”

Alaska locations with collection points: Anchorage, Aniak, Bethel, Craig, Dillingham, Eagle River, Emmonak, Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright, Glennallen, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Kotzebue, McGrath, Nome, North Pole, Palmer, Saint Mary’s, Seward, Sitka, Skagway, Soldotna, Talkeetna, Wasilla and Wrangell.

For a specific address of a collection site near you visit: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html