Old Lyme — A drug take-back event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Lyme Street Fire House.

The event is sponsored by the Old Lyme Resident Trooper, DEA-Drug Enforcement Administration, CASFY-Coalition for Substance Free Youth, Lymes' Youth Service Bureau and Old Lyme Fire Department.

Organizers of the event are encouraging people to prevent misuse of prescription drugs by cleaning out their medicine cabinet and dropping off unwanted drugs. They especially encourage disposal of prescription pain medications, tranquilizers and stimulants (ADHD medications), which they say are the most commonly misused and all are potentially addictive.  

Last year, 729 people in Connecticut died from drug overdoses, according to a news release. This year Connecticut officials are predicting that over 900 residents will die of overdoses. 

"Studies show that youth intent on misusing prescription drugs get them first from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet," the news release states. "A teen’s first use of any drug is usually alcohol and then marijuana. Some may progress to prescription pain medications to seek a better 'high' and can easily become addicted to them. These pills get too expensive and heroin is cheap. Overdoses and deaths are the result of this progression."

Other nearby locations for dropping off unwanted medications at any time are State Police Troop F in Westbrook and the East Lyme Police Station in Niantic.