From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, the Boonville Police and Fire Departments and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 22nd opportunity in 10 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially-dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

A press release says area residents are urged to bring their pills for disposal to the Boonville Fire Department at 500 Bingham Road. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles nor sharps, only pills and/or patches.

Authorities say this initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. The rate of prescription-drug abuse in the U.S. is alarmingly high, as is the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines- flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash- both pose potential safety and health hazards.

The service is free and anonymous- no questions asked.

If you cannot turn in your unwanted prescription drugs during that time frame, you can drop them off at the Boonville Police Department at 401 East Morgan Street any time before the event.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Take-Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website <http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html>.