Medicine Chest awarded to local sheriff's department
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<p class="p1">The Pulaski County Sheriff's Department has been awarded an American Medicine Chest, which will serve as a permanent disposal site for prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications.</p><p class="p1">The box is not limited for use by Pulaski County residents. Anyone who wants to dispose of unwanted drugs may dispose of them there.</p><p class="p1">The box is also not limited to receiving prescribed medications. Any over-the-counter medicines that are no longer used or expired may be placed in the box as well. </p><p class="p1">Types of medications that can be disposed of include pills, capsules, patches and pet medications.</p><p class="p1">Items that cannot be disposed of in the medicine chest include mail, trash, syringes and liquids.</p><p class="p1">People can also safely dispose of illegal drugs, like marijuana, confidentially. </p><p class="p1">Pulaski County Sheriff Randy Kern said that Pulaski County is the only sheriff's department in Southern Illinois to have a permanent medicine chest.</p><p class="p1">The process to obtain the medicine chest took three years.</p><p class="p1"> The sheriff said that it is recommended that those who dispose of their medications take the labels off the medicine bottles or cover up names, date of birth and Rx numbers.</p><p class="p1">When the box is full, Kern turns the drugs into the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA. </p><p class="p1">The medicine chest is located inside the Pulaski County Courthouse, right beside the sheriff's department.</p><p class="p1">The sheriff's department is located at 500 Illinois Ave. in Mound City.</p><p class="p1">Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.</p><p class="p1">For more information, visit AmericanMedicineChest.com.</p>