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Marion County Sheriff's Office, Ocala police join National Pill Take-Back Day initiative

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The Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Ocala Police Department are hosting an initiative for National Pill Take-Back Day to curtail the illegal use and sale of prescription drugs.

Uniformed officers will be stationed at sites around the county for people to turn in prescription drugs without fear of repercussions in order to prevent drug abuse.

"We're not asking questions when someone arrives with pills," said Judge Cochran, an information officer from the sheriff's office. "We simply want to have the set-up there. They drive through the location, deposit the pills and then they go on about their day."

The county is a part of a greater trend in Florida involving an increase in overdoses linked to the abuse of prescription pills. An even more troubling part of the statistic is that adolescents are some of the most likely abusers. That's part of the reason the county sheriff's office wanted to get involved: to keep pills from reaching people who could abuse or sell them illegally.

"Give people an easy opportunity to get rid of out-dated medication or medication they simply aren't taking anymore, as opposed to tossing it in the drain," Cochran said.

"We want everyday folks to find a proper avenue to dispose of their pills."

People can dispose of their prescriptions at the following locations:

• Marion County Sheriff’s Office South Marion District Office, 8230 S.E. 165th Mulberry Lane, The Villages
• Marion County Sheriff's Office Southwest District Office, 9048 SW HWY 200, Ocala
• Ocala Police Department, 402 S. Pine Avenue, Ocala

George Pappas edited this story online.

Kaitlyn is a reporter who can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.