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Almost 200 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter medications will be turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration following Saturday’s National Drug Take Back Day held in the parking lot of College Square Mall.

The Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office and the Hamblen County Substance Abuse Coalition partnered again for the event and the Morristown Police Department also offered their assistance throughout the day.

“We’re honored to co-host National Drug Take Back Day,” Sheriff Chad Mullins said. “It is so important to get outdated and unused medications safely disposed of and these events are a way for people to conveniently get that done.”

Mullins added that by partnering with the Hamblen County Substance Abuse Coalition, while members of law enforcement are collecting the medication, members of the HCSAC can share their mission of training and educating people about substance abuse and how to prevent it.

According to Mullins, close to 100 lbs. of medications were collected on Saturday and the remaining amount was collected in the drop-off container at the Sheriff’s Office.

Mullins wants to remind the public that another Take Back Day will happen in October, but medication that needs to be destroyed can also be taken to the secure drop-off container located inside the front lobby of the Sheriff’s Office.

The container is accessible weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

The Sheriff’s Office is located at 460 North Jackson Street.