(MSC News)--Law enforcement agencies across Kansas will be collecting unused leftover medications for safe disposal Saturday.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says the collection events are part of a nationwide effort to safely dispose of leftover medications to prevent accidental or intentional misuse.

Locally, unused prescription drugs will be accepted Saturday from 10 to 2 at the Brown, Jackson and Nemaha County Sheriff’s Offices along with Iowa Tribal Police Department in White Cloud. They will also be accepted at two locations in Leavenworth—Price Chopper and CVS Pharmacy.

The National Drug Take-Back Day is coordinated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which collects and safely destroys the medications.

Since the program began in 2010, Schmidt says more than 58 tons of unwanted medications have been collected and destroyed in Kansas alone.

Editor's note:  the following was submitted by Brown County Sheriff John Merchant

I would like to inform county residents that Saturday October 28th  is
"National Drug Take Back Day."  

This is a national event to garner support of the public to clean out their medicine chest of unused, unwanted or expired medication and to provide safe and secure local drop off points.

The Brown County Sheriffs office has been a part of this very worthwhile
program since the program was established in 2010.  Since that time, more
than 7,000,000 pounds  of unwanted, unused or expired medications have been
turned in for destruction nationwide.   By statistic, more than 46,000
Americans die each year from drug-related deaths.  According to the 2014
National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.5 million Americans abused
controlled prescription drugs and a majority of abused prescription drugs
are obtained through family and friends, including from their home medicine
cabinets.

We not only participate in this national event, but we are also a 24 hours
a day, seven day a week drop off location for these medications.  In the
past we have had such a positive turn out, I felt a need to provide this
service at any time of day or night to provide a way for the public to
properly dispose of their medications.  By participating in this event, we
at the Sheriffs Office,  safely store the acquired medications in a secure
holding area and then turn  custody over the to DEA agents for proper
disposal, so we encourage the public at any time to bring their medications
to us at 709 Utah Street in Hiawatha.  Dispatchers are on duty 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week  to accept the medications. We cannot accept needles/syringes or injectable medications.

This is a very worthwhile program that I hope is around for many years to
come.  To date, we have collected and turned in over 2,000 pounds of these
medication in Brown County.  I appreciate everyone's cooperation and
encourage the public to check your medicine cabinets and turn in your
expired, unwanted or unused prescriptions.  "By working together this helps
make Brown County a safer place to live and raise a family."