Saturday is the 11th annual American Medicine Chest Challenge, a day to rid your medicine chest and home of unwanted prescription and other medications.

Angelo Valente, of The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, says the group started the challenge in 2009, and it's spread nationwide.

Not only do they want people to get rid of unwanted meds, "we're encouraging everyone to have conversations in their homes with their children about the dangers of being exposed to an opioid, especially without a prescription and especially for a long period of time."

The campaign has warned that the medicine chest is a way for people to start an opioid addiction, either by taking the pills themselves or selling it to others.

That is just one of five steps they recommend in dealing with prescriptions medications in the home. Other steps include taking inventory of your meds, securing meds in the home and using medicine only as prescribed.

Advocates encourage people not to flush medicine down the drain, as the drugs end up in water supplies. And throwing it in the garbage is not recommended either because addicts may fish it out of trash cans.

Valente says you can find a drop-off site near you by going to the website, AmericanMedicineChest.com.

The drop off effort works in cooperation with local law enforcement.

More From WOBM News:

More From Beach Radio