Beginning Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Auburn Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring your medications for disposal to the Auburn Police Department lobby at  340  East Main St., Suite 201. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The Auburn Police Department has purchased a secure prescription medication drop box that has been installed in the lobby of the police department. April 30 will be the kick off, but the drop box will be available to citizens permanently.

Items acceptable to be placed in the drop box:

• Prescription medications

• Over the counter medications

• Medication samples

• Medications for pets

• Vitamins

• Medicated ointments/lotions

• Inhalers Liquid Medication (in leak proof containers up to 12 ounces)

Items NOT accepted:

• Needles/syringes/lancets

• Thermometers IV bags

• Bloody or infectious waste

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Empty Containers

• Aerosol cans

• Personal care products (non-medicated shampoo, etc.)

Last September, Americans turned in 242,000 pounds—121 tons—of prescription drugs at nearly 4,100 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners.

The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information on Auburn’s drug take-back program, call the Auburn Police Department at 253-931-3080.