Cache County, Utah – Families in Cache County will have an opportunity to drop off their unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs at the “Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet” community medication take-back event at the Providence Macey’s on July 31st, from 9am to Noon.”Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in our nation, and Utah is no exception! Emergency rooms across the state have reported significant increases in the number of encounters and even deaths due to overdose or improper use” states Ashlee Holguin, Health Promotion Specialist for Bear River Health Department. Leah Ann Lamb, Assistant Director of the Division of Water Quality also commented on the growing problem of prescription drug abuse. She states: “The public has become very concerned about abuse and poisonings from unused prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs . . . they are also concerned about the impact to the environment from flushing medicines down the toilet or sink.”To provide safe “Drive-Up, Drop-Off” access, the event will be supervised by the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, where officers in attendance will take possession of the medications and have them incinerated. For convenience and safety, folks never have to get out of their car at these collections.”We are pleased to offer this service for our guests who often ask how to properly dispose of their unused or expired medications. Once a prescription is issued, our pharmacists cannot take them back. The ‘clean out your medicine cabinet’ event provides a legal, safe method for medication disposal.” Says Darin Peirce, Regional Vice President of Macey’s Food Stores.For more information on proper disposal, including information on DEQ grants to local law enforcement agencies to provide collection boxes. visit: http://www.medicationdisposal.utah.gov/