The Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration are giving the public a chance to drop off unused prescription drugs. Area residents are encouraged to bring those drugs to the Marion County Law Enforcement Center, located just east of Knoxville, today. This will be a free, anonymous service and there will be no questions asked.

Medicines left in cabinets at home are in danger of being misused or abused. Dangers include not just accidents involving young children, but the possible abuse by teenagers. Knoxville police chief Dan Losada says that the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force Agency has seen an increasing number of illegal prescription drug cases in recent years.

Another popular method of disposing of drugs – flushing them down the toilet – has proven to be problematic. The drugs can contaminate water supplies and have a negative effect on animals living in that water. The dropoff is from 10am-2pm.