KC STAAR, the Keota and Sigourney Police Departments, and the Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office held the second annual Medicine Chest Challenge on Saturday. The purpose of the event is to collect old prescription drugs to reduce water supply pollution and prevent abuse and misuse of prescription drugs. The event took all sorts of prescription Drugs, but the focus was on the drugs that are commonly abused such as Oxycontin.

The three locations across the county collected twelve pounds of prescription drugs. They also challenged people to take steps to secure their medicines.

The recommended steps to take are; take and inventory of your medicine cabinets, lock your cabinet, properly dispose of old drugs, take your drugs as prescribed, and talk to your children about the dangers of prescription drugs.

If you missed the event you can properly dispose your drugs at many pharmacies, although most pharmacies do not take prescription narcotics.