The Mountlake Terrace Police Department and six other law enforcement agencies are participating in the Drug Enforement Adminstration’s upcoming Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, Sept. 27.

The Police Department will be accepting prescription and over-the-counter drugs from 8 a.m.-noon at 5906 232nd St. SW. in Mountlake Terrace.

The Drug Take-Back program is an important tool in the fight against drug abuse in Snohomish County, including the growing heroin epidemic. “Many of today’s heroin addicts started with prescription drug abuse,” said Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force Commander Pat Slack.

Slack said the abuse of prescription drugs like oxycodone is often a gateway for many of today’s heroin users because opioid prescription painkillers have the same effect on the brain and body as heroin. When the supply of prescription drugs runs out, users turn to the nearest (and often cheaper) alternative: heroin.

“We know we cannot fight the problem through arrest and incarceration alone,” said Slack. “We need Snohomish County communities to help us get opioid prescription drugs out of the hands of those who will abuse or misuse them.”

The goal of the Drug Take-Back Day is to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. More than 390 tons of prescription drugs were brought to more than 6,000 collection sites across the U.S. for Drug Take-Back Day in April. More than two and a half tons of unwanted medicines were disposed of in Snohomish County alone.