An opportunity for Fort Dodge and Webster County residents to turn in their unused prescription medicine will be returning to town Friday.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an effort that combines local sheriff's departments with the Drug Enforcement Administration to make sure people have a safe place to drop off their unused prescription drugs.
Webster County Sheriff Brian Mickelson said his department is teaming up with Hy-Vee to provide a drop-off point.
While the nationwide date is set for Saturday, Mickelson said locally the date will be Friday.
This isn't the first time the Webster County Sheriff's Department has participated in the program. It was held last year during the spring and fall.
"These Take Back events are reducing the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse," Mickelson said. "It's also free and anonymous."
More than 4,000 law enforcement agencies across the United States participate in the program, according to Mickelson.
He said the program is helpful because it allows drugs to be safely destroyed instead of remaining in the home, where someone could potentially abuse them.
"This is a great opportunity for all of us to help reverse one of Iowa's fastest growing forms of substance abuse by cleaning out the medicine cabinet and safely disposing of unused medicines," he said.
Anyone with prescription drugs they want to get rid of are asked to drop them off at the Hy-Vee pharmacy on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Contact Peter Kaspari at (515) 573-2141 or pkaspari@messengernews.net