With opioid overdose deaths increasing during the pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration announces its 20th Take Back Day.

On Saturday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Warren County Drug Task Force, Mason Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring your pills for disposal to Kroger at 5100 Terra Firma Drive in Deerfiled Township, Warren County, just south of Mason.

The service is free and anonymous — no questions asked.

At its last Take Back Day in October, DEA collected a record-high amount of expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications, with the public turning in close to 500 tons of unwanted drugs. With studies indicating a majority of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period.

DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription and OTC drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. DEA will continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges at its drop off locations provided lithium batteries are removed.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 24 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.