By Gail M. Williams
Muleshoe Journal Correspondent

Muleshoe Chief of Police Gary McHone announced that Muleshoe Police Department will participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Bailey County EMS station.
According to the DEA website, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. In April 2019, Take Back Day brought in 937,443 pounds (468.72 tons) of unused or expired prescription medication across the nation. The April 2019 Take Back Day brought in 937,443 pounds (468.72 tons) of unused or expired prescription medication.
This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by the DEA to 11,816,393 pounds of unused or expired prescription medication.
In April 2019, the Muleshoe Police Department and Muleshoe Area Medical Center joined together to establish a drop box for unused, expired or unneeded medications. Available 24 hours a day, the prescription drug drop box is designed for year-round disposal and is installed inside the Muleshoe Police Department.
“On Saturday, we’ll take any contents in the dispatch box and turn it over to the DEA,” McHone said. “It’s a good idea to mark out or take all personal information off prescription drugs before you turn them over.”
For more information, go to the DEA’s official Take Back Day website. A quiz on the website lets you test your knowledge of proper drug disposal.