The growing opioid crisis in the country means more prescription drugs are being abused; but one step towards curbing the problem came on Saturday, during the semi-annual Drug Take Back Day.

Police agencies around the area, including Pella, Monroe, Melcher-Dallas, and Warren County, collected prescription drugs brought in by local residents; many leftover medications are abused by friends or family members, who take these medications with or without the knowledge of the one who has been keeping them in a medicine cabinet or cupboard.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office was among those taking in medications; no records of who brought in what were kept, and there were no questions asked — the goal was to get these medications to the DEA, which will dispose of them safely.

Sheriff’s deputies say opioid abuse has also led to users breaking into strangers homes to steal medication, thus making the problem even worse.

And deputies say safe disposal of medications is necessary; merely flushing them or throwing them out means the medication can get into the water supply or the ecosystem…so it’s safer to hand it over to the DEA.