HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Everyone hears the stories. A baby accidentally ingests pills that are just within reach. A teenager uses pills as a means to get high. An elderly person takes the wrong medication, resulting in complications.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides one safe option to dispose of unused or expired medications to help prevent prescription drug abuse. The next prescription drug take-back day is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29.

Cabell County residents may drop off unused or expired medications at the following locations:

• Ebenezer Medical Outreach/Douglass Center — 1448 10th Avenue, Huntington

• Milton Pre-K School — 1302 West Main Street, Milton (the former Milton Middle School building)

• West Virginia State Police Detachment — Route 60

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies have removed 995,185 pounds (498.5 tons) of medication from circulation during the last three National Drug Take Back Days.

“The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a great way to prevent diversion, as well as educate the public of the dangers of misusing prescription drugs,” said Lynn Ormiston, CCSAPP program coordinator. “The process is convenient. People bring their unwanted medications to one of the drop-off locations, and law enforcement officials collect and properly dispose of them. We encourage everyone who has unwanted medications to drop them off at a location near them.” Other locations in the Tri-State include Kenova Volunteer Fire Department and Ashland Police Department. For more collection sites, visit www.dea.gov.

Prescription drug take back events conducted in Cabell County in September 2010, April 2011, June 2011, August 2011, October 2011, January 2012 and April 2012 yielded approximately 919 pounds of unused and unwanted medications.

For more information about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, visit www.dea.gov.