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Macon Police Department Hosts Successful Prescription Drug Take-Back Event

Macon, MO – The Macon Police Department, Macon Municipal Utilities and Macon County Public Water Supply District supported by the Missouri Rural Water Association participated in yet another National Drug Take Back Event organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Saturday, September 26, 2015.

This was the eighth event to be held in Macon. According to the Macon Police Department Secretary, Modeste Ewing, “We collected 109 pounds of unwanted medications for disposal, several pounds more than our previous collection in Sept 2014.”

There was no scheduled event in April of this year but the DEA brought back the event this Fall. Due to a change in DEA disposal regulations in 2014, DEA-registered pharmacies and hospitals have the ability to set up their own collection sites to collect and dispose of unwanted medications in a safe manner.

“The DEA did not sponsor an event this past Spring, but decided to hold another nationwide event this September which has proven successful here in Macon,” states Secretary Ewing. “At this time we are not sure of future plans for additional events. We will continue to participate when the DEA allows us to do so.”

A total of 623.5 pounds of medication has been collected from Macon residents since beginning the program in October 2011.

The purpose of the program is to help prevent accidental drug overdose and misuse/abuse as well as offering a safe way to dispose of medications to avoid contamination to the community’s water supply.