SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – MountainStar Healthcare will host “Crush the Crisis” prescription take-back day this Saturday, Oct. 28.

The health network will have a record 13 drop-off locations throughout Utah. The event takes place coincides with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and aims to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medications.

“It’s so crucial that we bring awareness to dangers of drug misuse and abuse as the drug overdose pandemic continues to grow across the nation and here in Utah,” said Janet Zarndt, vice president of pharmacy services for the Utah health system that serves over a million annual patient interactions. “As part of our commitment to serving Utahns, we are proud to hold our biggest Crush the Crisis day yet.”

This event is a way for community members to drop off unused and expired medications anonymously and safely.

Officials will collect tablets or capsules in any packaging, patches, medicated ointments, liquid medications (in leak-proof containers), vape cartridges (without batteries), and pet medications.

Items not accepted are needles, syringes, lancets, or illegal drugs.

You can find the Crush the Crisis drop-off point closest to you by using the interactive map on the HCA Healthcare website.

Locations will be open Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the following locations: Cache Valley Hospital, Lakeview Hospital, Lone Peak Hospital, Ogden Regional Medical Center, St. Mark’s Hospital, and Timpanogos Regional Hospital will all host drive-through Crush the Crisis events, while Mountain View Hospital will host a drop-off location in partnership with nearby Payson Market.

Additionally, community members can drop off expired and unused medications at Westlake Emergency Center as well as select CareNow urgent care clinics in West Point, Cottonwood Heights, South Jordan, American Fork, and Orem.

According to MountainStar Health in 2022, there were more than 109,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an increase from 2021. Five in six drug poisoning deaths in Utah are unintentional according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services, illustrating the importance of removing unused and expired medications from the home.