SIDNEY— The public is invited to drop off unwanted prescription drugs to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Oct. 26.

The Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) the public its 18th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous drugs.

Bring expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal to the Sheriff’s Office, 555 Gearhart Road, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pills, patches, liquids and needles will be accepted. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

Last fall Americans turned in nearly 469 tons (more than 937,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 6,300 sites operated by the DEA and almost 5,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 17 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 11.8 million pounds — approximately 5,900 tons — of pills.

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. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen 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.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Oct. 26 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office will have a deputy in the lobby this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to take any unwanted pills, liquids and needles.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office also has a pill bin in their lobby year round to accept unwanted pills. The lobby is open 24 hours a day.