The United States Drug Enforcement Administration is holding its next Drug Take Back Day across the nation on Saturday. Locally, the event will be from 4-6 p.m. on Friday at Daniel Pharmacy, 1114 Central Ave.

The DEA and its local partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. The DEA does accept vaping devices and cartridges if the lithium batteries are removed.

During the last Take Back Day in October, the DEA collected a record-high amount of expired, unwanted and unused prescription medications, with the public turning in close to 500 tons, according to a release from the DEA and Webster County Sheriff’s Office.

Since the start of the DEA Take Back Days 10 years ago, more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs have been surrendered.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. saw 83,544 drug overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period.

“With studies indicating a majority of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential,” the DEA’s release said.