SILVIS, Ill. — The United States Drug Enforcement Administration names the final Saturdays in April and October as "National Prescription Drug Take Back Day." The administration partners with local organizations throughout the country to safely retrieve unwanted prescriptions.
Julie Cox has seen her fair share of prescription drugs over the last 11 years. She's been a volunteer for The C.A.U.S.E. (The Coalition Advocating for Underage Substance Elimination) since 2013, a Rock Island County coalition dedicated to eliminating underage substance use.
Cox and The C.A.U.S.E. are working with seven law enforcement agencies in the Quad Cities to responsibly collect your prescription drugs. Participating locations include:
- Rock Island County Justice Center
- Milan Police Department
- Moline Police Department
- East Moline Police Department
- Silvis Police Department
- Colona Police Department
- Geneseo Police Department
The CAUSE began to take back unwanted medications in 2014. The coalition's goals are to clean the streets and take potentially dangerous materials out of children's hands.
"There were students here in the Quad Cities that take their parent's prescription drugs, and they have parties," revealed Cox.
Law enforcement officers are required to be stationed at each site. They're responsible for overseeing the operation, which ran from 10 am to 2 pm, and holding onto the collected drugs until the local Drug Enforcement Administration office arrives.
"Once we get done here at the end of the day, our officer takes whatever we've collected, and puts it back in a vault," explained Cox. "[They lock] it up until the D.E.A comes and gets it."
The coalition says it received over 700 pounds of medications during its previous event in April. The local Drug Enforcement Administration office incinerated it all. They do not accept liquids of any kind or anything sharp.