Health officials in Quincy say medication drop box a success

QUINCY, Ill. (AP) - Health officials in western Illinois say a drop-off box for people to dispose of unwanted medications has been a success.

Adams County Health Department prevention coordinator Alaina Tippey tells The Quincy Herald-Whig (http://bit.ly/1EFjqfU ) that the goal is to help get unused and outdated medicines out of homes and, hopefully, off the streets.

The collection box was started two years ago in Quincy and paid for by a state grant. It's emptied regularly by officials in the county.

The service is free to residents.

Health officials say there aren't specific numbers available on how many medications have been collected in the area.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency says more than 300 tons of unwanted prescription drugs were collected during a nationwide operation last year.