National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will be held in communities across America, including Columbiana County, Saturday to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Locally, area residents will have an opportunity to drop off their unused, unwanted or expired medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at two locations:

East Liverpool City Hospital- Main Entrance, 425 W. Fifth St., and SRMC Professional Services Building (across from Salem Regional Medical Center), 2094 E. State St.

How to Participate

— Area residents will remain in their cars and hand off the unwanted medications to local law enforcement officers, who will be the only staff handling the medications. No requests for identification will be asked.

— Unwanted capsules or tablets may be kept in their original containers or removed from the original container.

— If an original container is disposed, try to remove any personal identifying information from the prescription label.

This one-day medication collection effort is being sponsored by the Columbiana County Drug Task Force (330-424-0309) and local law enforcement jurisdictions, East Liverpool City Hospital (330-385-7200), and Salem Regional Medical Center (330-332-7152). These organizations are collaborating on this county-wide event to remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from people’s homes.