Saturday, April 30 is DEA's drug take back day: here's what to know

TAYLOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - If you're like most, you have a couple bottles of unused prescriptions sitting at the top of your medicine cabinet or the back of your drawer. It's time to get rid of those - responsibly. But there are several things you need to know.

The Drug Enforcement Agency is hosting its drug take back day where you can bring in your unused or unwanted prescription pills. The problem with keeping unused prescription drugs is that if someone you know were to find them and get hooked, it could be tempting to get into them again.

"You don't know who is battling addiction, you don't know in your circle is having a problem so let's remove that temptation," DEA agent Brian McNeill said.

The DEA take back is Saturday, April 30  and the DEA was promoting it on Friday in Taylor at the 23rd district court's Law Day but there are locations throughout the state - 300 to be exact - it's all a space for you.

"Type in DEA take back in your web browser, put in your zip code and it will give you the nearest location to you is," McNeill said. "We are not waiting in the bushes to take you in its anonymous bring in those substances because we are more concerned with getting them off the streets."

But not everything you got from the pharmacy or doctor can go back. They don't accept liquids or any needles.

"We take patches, capsules, pills, even vape pens without the battery," McNeill said.

Kathy Federico with the DEA said flushing the drugs is bad idea and they'll handle the prescriptions safely.

"We want the drugs to come back to those collection sites because we then burn them in an incinerator its very environmentally friendly and  gets the drugs out of your house," Federico said.

According to the DEA, one out of every four heroin users starts with prescription pills and then, when the medicine cabinets run dry, they turn to the streets.

"The Mexican drug cartels are taking advantage of our comfort with pills. They're pressing counterfeit pills that are indistinguishable from the real thing," McNeil said. "We are seeing 42% of pills containing a lethal dose of fentanyl. So, that slogan 'one pill can kill' is true."

Some take back sites are open all year and they're always recommended over flushing pills down the toilet. For more information, check out the DEA's website.