Muskingum Co. Sheriff’s Office and Health Department Taking Part in “Drug Take Back Day” Saturday

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- The Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office teams up with the DEA to host its biannual “Drug Take Back Day” this Saturday 10AM-2PM.

Whether it be expired prescriptions or unfinished prescription regimens, unneeded prescriptions should be safely disposed of, and this “Drug Take Back Day” provides just that opportunity in a simple drive-through process. 

“You don’t even have to get out of the car. We will have people there that come out to the vehicle, they’ll get the stuff out of your car that you have to dispose of. Most people will bring it in sacks of some sorts or boxes -depending on how much they have. Some people have it in their trunk, all you got to do is pop your trunk, and we’ll get it out of your trunk. And then you can basically just drive away,” Matt Lutz, Sheriff of Muskingum County stated.

The identifiable information on the prescriptions will be removed and destroyed, the medicine containers recycled, and the pills sent to the DEA for destruction.  

“Our event here locally can do a lot more than other events do. And what we do is not only take the pills, but we take sharps. So if somebody brings in sharps and old needles from where they’ve had different things, we will take them and Genesis takes care of getting rid of those for us. We’ll also take liquids that a lot of the other places don’t take. DEA won’t take that to dispose of, and Northside Pharmacy chipped in with us and they will take the liquids and will get rid of them,” Lutz said.

Historically, this event has resulted in hundreds of pounds of pills removed from community homes. The two locations where you can drop off prescription drugs are at the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department which takes pills, sharps, and liquids; and at Riesbeck’s Pick’ N Save on June Parkway where they will only be able to accept pill. For more information you can head to the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department website.