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Old prescription medication can be turned in Saturday

This photo shows an arrangement of pills of the opioid oxycodone-acetaminophen. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison)
Unused prescription medications can be dropped off at three locations in Alachua County on Saturday. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison)

Correction Appended: A previous version of this story listed an incorrect location for the drug turn in event. This has been removed.

Anyone with unneeded prescription medication can dispose of it Saturday at collection sites across Florida under a program organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration. There will be three locations in Alachua County.

The event, known nationally as Prescription Drug Take Back Day, is intended to help people dispose safely of prescriptions so they can’t be misused by others in the household. It’s also intended to protect the environment by keeping old medicine out of the water supply.

In Alachua County, prescriptions will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Senior Center on Northwest 34th Boulevard or the UF Health Urgent Care on Southeast 20th Street. The DEA’s website has a list of all locations nationwide.

The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office advertised the event on its social media accounts.

“We advertise this greatly so people know about it,” sheriff’s spokesman Art Forgey said.

The DEA has been hosting these events for 15 years. Last year, Florida residents turned in 22,651 pounds of unneeded medications, according to the DEA.

“It’s important to keep our drinking water and our environment clean,” Forgey said.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends putting prescription drugs that aren’t turned over to law enforcement in a plastic bag with an undesirable substance, like cat litter or coffee grounds, before throwing them away.

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This is a breaking news story. Check back for further developments. Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org

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