A drop box that will give residents a chance to get rid of their unused prescription medications will soon be located in Floyd County, Sheriff Tim Burk­halter said.

On Friday, Bartow County Sheriff Clark Millsap said his department had received an Rx Drug Drop Box from the National Association

of Drug Diversion Investigators through a grant from Endo Pharmaceuticals and the National Rx Drug Drop Box program.

The secure drop box is located at the agency’s administration lobby, 104 Zena Drive in Carters­ville.

People can walk in and deposit their unwanted, expired medicines during normal business hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The unused prescriptions will then be disposed of in the proper manner, according to a news release from the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office.

Burkhalter said he has also received the grant and a box has been ordered, but he has not decided where it should be put.

“Maybe somewhere at the jail or courthouse,” he said. “There will be no questions asked, no cameras on it.”

The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office has had a drug drop box in its lobby at 5842 U.S. 41 in Ringgold since Feb. 15.

According to the Bartow news release:

Medicines that remain in home medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse or abuse — and rates of prescription drug abuse are alarmingly high.

Studies show that individuals that abuse prescription drugs often obtain them from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets.

Throwing away the medicine or flushing it down the toilet is not recommended.

In the past few years, hospitals and public safety agencies have held “pill drop” days where people can bring their unused prescriptions and dispose of them, no questions asked.

The drop box will provide a permanent place where residents can drop off their unused prescriptions.