Tuscarawas County, Ohio - Area residents can help protect themselves and their families by disposing of unneeded or unwanted prescriptions during a drug-take-back event happening this weekend at two locations.

The take-back event is scheduled for this Saturday, October 27th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with drop-off locations locally at the two hospitals in Tuscarawas County.

Drug Take-Back Day provides a safe and confidential method to dispose of those old and unwanted medications so they don’t fall into the wrong hands or pollute the water supply. 

Anybody wishing to safely dispose of prescription or non-prescription medications may bring those items to the Main Entrance at Trinity Hospital Twin City in Dennison and to the South Entrance of Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital at Dover (just off the Boulevard). Expired and unused prescription and over-the-counter medications should not be left sitting in your medicine cabinet or kitchen drawer.

A deputy from the Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office will be at the hospitals to accept the medications for proper disposal. The program is completely anonymous and no name or ID will be requested.

 Medication containers should be placed in a transparent plastic bag. Those in their original prescription bottles may have the patient’s name on the label blacked out if desired. The Sheriff’s Office will not accept for disposal any needles, liquids or any peroxide-based medications at this event.

Drug Take-Back Day can help keep potentially dangerous medications out of the hands of children and reduce drug abuse and theft of drugs from homes, according to the Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition. Proper disposal of unwanted medications will protect the environment by keeping powerful drugs out of the sewer systems and groundwater.

Drug Take-Back Day is a cooperative effort involving the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office, the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Recycling District, the Anti-Drug Coalition of Tuscarawas County, the Tuscarawas County Opiate Task Force, and the two hospitals.

In addition to the Drug Take-Back Day event, outdated and unwanted medications may be taken any time of the day or night to the lobby of the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office at 2295 Reiser Ave. SE in New Philadelphia, and to other area police departments. For more information, call 330-339-2000.

To learn more about the Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition, visit the group's website at http://adc-tusc.com or their Facebook page @Tuscarawascountyantidrugcoalition.

TUSCARAWAS COUNTY ANTI-DRUG COALITION