Local law enforcement agencies participated April 30 in the second annual Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, collecting unused and expired medicines on the Island and on the mainland.
On Anna Maria, the Holmes Beach Police Department collected prescription drugs, depositing items in a lock box for disposal.
HBPD Lt. Dale Stephenson said this year’s collection was “triple last year.” He said they collected medications with expiration dates going back as far as 2005.
Stephenson said the results were so good, they will now accept unwanted medications year-round at the HBPD, and hold the items in evidence for the annual collection.
The MCSO collected medicine at two locations, one in Ellenton and also at the department’s crime prevention office in Bradenton.
Last year’s “take-back” campaign resulted in the collection of 242,00 pounds of prescription drugs from 4,100 drop-off sites in the United States.