SC authorities round up prescription drugs

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Authorities around South Carolina are hoping to cut down on prescription drug abuse by rounding up unwanted and expired medications.

Deputies in counties throughout the state are asking people to clean out their medicine cabinets of prescriptions they either don’t need or that have expired. People can bring the medicines Saturday to designated sites around the state, where the drugs will be destroyed free of charge.

The effort is part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. In previous years, officials say they have rounded up almost 500 tons of prescription drugs at more than 5,300 sites throughout the country.