NILES — The Voice. Change. Hope. Alliance partnered with Lakeland Health and local law enforcement from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 28.

During this first-time event for Lakeland Health,  38 people turned in 81 pounds of medication through the drive-thru prescription take back at Lakeland Center for Outpatient Services on Hollywood Avenue. Plans are in the works to expand to the Niles Lakeland Health hospital location is expected for the fall take-back.

Community members are encouraged to continue turning in unused medications at these 13 local prescription disposal sites (collection sites in Berrien County can be located on the community resources tab at voicechangehope.org. Collection sites across the state of Michigan can be found by visiting dea.gov):

• Baroda/Lake Township Public Safety

• Berrien County Sheriff’s Dept.

• Berrien Springs Oronoko Twp Police Department

• Buchanan City P.D.

• Chikaming Township P.D.

• Coloma Charter Township P.D.

• Lakeland Community Hospital Pharmacy

• Lakeland Community Hospital Pharmacy, Napier Ave. (Open 24 hours a day)

• Lakeland Pharmacy Shoppe

• New Buffalo P.D.

• Niles Law Enforcement Complex (Open 24 hours a day) Niles P.D. and Michigan State Police

• Walgreens (Open 24 hours a day)

• Watervliet City P.D.

In fall 2017, Americans nationwide did their part to reduce the opioid crisis by bringing the Drug Enforcement Administration and its more than 4,200 local and tribal law enforcement partners a record-setting 912,305 pounds—456 tons—of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal at more than 5,300 collection sites.