SANTA FE, N.M - Expired, unwanted or unused prescription drugs can be dropped off for proper disposal at collection sites throughout New Mexico on Saturday, October 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Prescription pills for disposal can be brought to collection sites in dozens of communities in New Mexico staffed by state and local police and county sheriff's departments. The service is free and anonymous. Visit https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/NTBI/ntbi-pub.pub?_flowExecutionKey=_c009C3D52-A31D-9DA4-41CB-A21559E057D4_kD17F2043-95FB-B38E-15A8-5947A25809B8 to find the nearest disposal site in your community.

Earlier this year, the New Mexico Department of Health reported a nine percent decrease in statewide overdose deaths, but prescription drug abuse remains an important public safety and public health issue in New Mexico.

"Drug diversion - when a person steals doctor-prescribed medication from their families', friends' or neighbors' medicine cabinets - is how the majority of drug abuse cases often start in New Mexico and the United States, and how deadly habits are often formed," said Department of Health Secretary Designate Lynn Gallagher. "National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is a great opportunity to safely get rid of unwanted or unused prescription drugs and make sure they don't get into the wrong hands."

In addition, Americans are 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.

In 11 previous Take-Back events, the Drug Enforcement Administration in conjunction with state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners have collected more than 6.4 million pounds - about 3,200 tons - of prescription medications nationwide.

For information on prescription drug safety visit: https://nmhealth.org/about/erd/ibeb/pos/. Additional resources are available from the New Mexico Department of Health's Harm Reduction Program at: https://nmhealth.org/about/phd/idb/hrp/.