As part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the Council Bluffs Police Department will participate in the event sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency. The event is designated as “Council Bluffs Operation Medicine Cabinet” and involves the collaboration of several community organizations, volunteers, and the City of Council Bluffs Recycling Center. The rain or shine event will be located at Walgreens, 535 East Broadway in Council Bluffs, on the west side of the store next to the drive‐through lanes on Saturday, April 30, 2016, between 10:00 am. and 2 pm.

Citizens are simply asked to drive through a designated lane, hand over their unused, expired prescription or over the counter drugs with no questions asked. You can drop off the drugs anonymously.

The Council Bluffs Police Department has helped organize and promote 12 Prescription Drug Drop Off events since 2010. The past events have collected more than 3,300 pounds of prescription drugs from more than 2, 000 residents. Prescription drug abuse is a huge problem and this drug drop off is a great opportunity for citizens of Council Bluffs and anyone else to help reduce this threat. Please clean out your medicine cabinets and make your home safe from potential
drug theft and abuse.

Medicines that remain in home cabinets are highly susceptible to theft, misuse or abuse. Prescription drug abuse in the U.S. is increasing at an alarming rate, as are the numbers of accidental poisonings and overdoses. Studies show many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinets. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicines, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away, which are both potential safety and health hazards.