National Drug Take-Back Day is Sat., April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p. m; Residents can turn in expired or unwanted prescription drugs at Walgreens at Paris Road, where narcotics agents will dispose of them

National Drug Take-Back Day is on Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the continuation of an event which, locally, St. Bernard Parish’s Sheriff’s Office began in 2009, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

But there is something new this year which makes it easier and centrally located for residents to turn in their expired or unwanted medications so they don’t fall into the wrong hands.

Sheriff Pohlmann announces a partnership with Walgreens that will have two benefits for residents. They can conveniently bring in their unwanted prescription medications to the store at Paris Road and Judge Perez on April 27, where narcotics agents will collect and dispose of them.

An area for collection will be set up in the parking lot. There will also be displays from the Sheriff’s Office for children.

Also, Walgreens agreed to pass out fliers to their customers at both their St. Bernard Parish stores to inform them about the National Drug Take-Back Day and the partnership with the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Pohlmann said, “We appreciate Walgreens helping inform people about how to turn in unwanted medications and making room available to help us collect them on April 27.’’

It’s all part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Drug Take-Back Day. The Sheriff’s Office has participated in it after starting up its own take-back day in 2009 called “Operation Medicine Cabinet,’’ which encouraged residents to clean out their medicine cabinets of old prescription drugs.

“It is important people don’t let medications fall into the wrong hands to be abused or sold on the streets,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said, because studies show teens admit obtaining prescription medications from their parents’ home medicine cabinet or by stealing from other family members or at the houses of friends.

“You may save a young person from starting a life of drugs,’’ the sheriff said. Residents are also reminded they should call the sheriff’s 271-DOPE hot line to report any suspected illegal drug activity.

It isn’t necessary to bring back prescription bottles, just the medication, which can be brought in plastic or paper bags. Also, the sheriff said the national drug take-back day isn’t the only time medications can be turned in.

Residents can also call the 271-DOPE hotline at any time and leave a message about wanting to turn in prescription drugs and a Narcotics Unit agent will call them back to make arrangements for getting them so they can be destroyed.

Maj. Chad Clark, who heads the Special Investigations Division, started the Sheriff’s Office Operation Medicine Cabinet under then-Sheriff Jack Stephens and believes the drug take-back concept contributes to a lowering of overdoses and deaths from drugs.

He said the number of ODs in St. Bernard has dropped from 90, with 20 fatalities, in 2010 to 50 overdoses, with nine fatalities, in 2012. DEA estimates drug take-back days have removed nearly a million pounds of prescription medication nationally. Also, the DEA says non-medical use of prescription drugs now ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abused in America.