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Crime & Safety

Police Collecting Unwanted Medicine Saturday

Local police are working with the DEA to prevent prescription drugs from being stolen or abused.

James Leggate, Neighbor
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Local police are collecting unused prescription drugs this weekend in order to prevent them from being stolen and abused, according to Westwood Police.

Both and will be collecting unwanted medicine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

The national rate of prescription drug abuse is "alarmingly high," according to a statement from Westwood Police. Keeping the drugs around can lead to accidental poisonings or overdoses, but disposing of unused medicine by flushing it down a toilet or throwing it in the trash can pose health risks, police said.

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More than 377,000 pounds of unwanted medicine were returned to police during a similar national event last October.

All donations are anonymous and the service is free, police said.

Find out what's happening in Westwood-Hillsdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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