The Kirkland Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will host a “Drug Take Back Event” where expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs can be accepted, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.

The service is free and anonymous.

Kirkland residents can bring medications for disposal to the Kirkland Police Department lobby located at the south entrance of City Hall, 123 Fifth Ave.  For more information about the campaign, go to www.nationaltakebackday.com.

Last April, citizens from Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Oregon turned in a record breaking 33,500 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs; a 40 percent increase from the September 2012 event. More than 2.8 million pounds of unused and expired prescription medications have been collected nationally over the last three years through these events.

According to the DEA, this initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines-flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash-both pose potential safety and health hazards.