Northwest Iowa — Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Drug Policy Office of Drug Control Policy Director Steve Lukan and other officials today urged northwest Iowans to properly dispose of leftover medicines during next Saturday’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. They also announced a new State initiative to make more prescription drug Take Back collection sites available to Iowans on a year-round basis.
Saturday, Oct. 22 is the 12th biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. More than 100 sites in dozens of Iowa communities will collect unneeded medications at designated sites, no questions asked, Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Here in the far northwest counties there are three take-back sites from which to choose. Both the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in Sibley, and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office in Rock Rapids, have prescription drug take-back boxes available year-round. In addition, there will be a drop-off location in Sibley Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm at the city parking lot at the corner of 5th Avenue and 9th Street in Sibley. Listeners in the eastern part of the KIWA listening area can drop off outdated prescriptions at two locations in Spencer: The Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spencer Police Department. Listeners in the southern part of the area can drop off at the Le Mars Police Department. The Spencer and Le Mars locations will be accepting prescription drop-offs from 10 am to 2 pm Saturday.
Additionally, State officials have announced they are working to provide up to 100 permanent Take Back kiosks to community pharmacies and local law enforcement centers statewide, where secure user-friendly medicine disposal sites will be more accessible throughout the year.
