Saturday is the 20th annual National Drug Take-Back Day, and locals can drop off unused or expired medications at a Centralia drive-through event, no questions asked. The event is hosted by the Centralia Prevention Coalition, and will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. across from city hall.
An on-site community resource fair will also be giving away personal protective equipment, medication lock boxes and other items. Community service providers will be on-site to discuss local resources.
Medications can be dropped off in their original bottles or other containers, and labels do not need to be removed. The Centralia Police Department is coordinating the disposal of medications.
One aim of the event is to curb opioid overdoses and addiction, the majority of which starts when individuals obtain medication prescribed to friends or family members, according to a 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
“Safely disposing of medications is one way people can help prevent drug misuse and protect their loved ones,” reads a press release from Lewis County Public Health and Social Services (LCPHSS).
Last year’s national take-back day included 4,587 collection sites, which collected a total of 985,392 pounds of material.
Participants will be required to mask up and socially distance. For more information, contact Sara Bumgardner of LCPHSS at 360-520-6879 or sara.bumgardner@lewiscountywa.gov.
