ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The safe disposal of prescription drugs is in the spotlight Monday as National Prescription Drug Takeback Day approaches.

The DEA’s official Prescription Drug Takeback Day is Saturday, Oct. 26, but SSM Health is hosting a week-long drug takeback drive starting Monday and continuing through the weekend.

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital off Clayton Road is one of the locations where people can safely drop off their prescription drugs. Drop-off sites will typically have a bin where people can dispose of their prescription drugs.

SSM officials say the program aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible way for people to get rid of their prescription drugs. Authorities regularly warn that unused prescription drugs found in home medicine cabinets can get into the wrong hands, creating potentially dangerous and often tragic situations for children as well as adults.

The take-back program ensures that prescription drugs are disposed of in a safe way, preventing them from being misused or accidentally ingested.

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SSM health officials tell us they conduct this community collection drive twice each year. During the last takeback day in April, SSM Health collected 327 pounds of expired and unused medications across the St. Louis region, and a total of nearly 39,000 pounds of prescription drugs were collected across Missouri and Illinois.

You can drop off your prescription drugs at any SSM Health Hospital in the St. Louis area starting Monday. There are also many other sites where you can dispose of your prescription drugs this Saturday. To learn more about Prescription Drug Takeback Day and to find a collection site near you, click here .

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