BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — There is a Take Back Event for prescription drugs in Bismarck.

According to a news release, Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health and Bismarck Police Department are hosting the event at the Burleigh County Senior Center, at 315 N 20th Street, on Wednesday, October 18 from 8:30-10 a.m.

The event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of getting rid of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the possibility of abuse of the medications.

This also lets people get rid of unused and unwanted over-the-counter and prescription medications in order to prevent drug diversion and misuse, as well as protect the environment.

“Prescription opioid abuse and overdose is a growing concern in North Dakota,” said Susan Kahler, the SAP Coordinator at BBPH. “Unused medications are a public health and safety concern. The Take Back program provides residents with an easy and convenient way to dispose of unused and unwanted over-the-counter and prescription medications, to protect the environment and keep drugs off the streets and into the wrong hands.”

These items will be accepted at the event:

• Unused or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications
• Pill, tablets, and caplets, removed from the packaging
• Inhalers, nebulizer solutions, liquids, and creams left in the original container
• Controlled substances
• Pain relief like Vicodin, Hydrocodone, Demerol, OxyContin, fentanyl
• Anti-depressants like Valium, Zoloft, Prozac
• Sleep aids like Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata

These items will not be accepted at the event:

• Sharps (syringes, lancets), thermometers, glass, home-based care (HBC) or durable medical equipment (DME) supplies, and pharmacy inventory, people should ask a pharmacist where to dispose of them
• Cancer medications

“Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the community,” said Bismarck Police Officer Caity Horne. “Access is a key risk factor for abuse and addiction of prescription opioid medication. If we reduce the accessibility of unused or expired medications, the fewer drugs there are to be misused, and fewer people will be at risk for abuse, addiction, overdose, and even death.”

North Dakota has two free programs for people to dispose of these medications, one is the Take Back program at participating law enforcement agencies, and the other is the MedSafe program at participating pharmacies.

You can find all the permanent Take Back locations throughout the state here.