LORDS VALLEY, PA — A new drug take-back box was unveiled on January 9 at Lords Valley Village Pharmacy.

The unveiling was presided over the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Gary Tennis, who joined local federal officials for the event. He said it’s a new initiative that could help other communities across the Commonwealth provide this service.

The drug take-back box at Lords Valley Village Pharmacy is the first take-back box in Pike County located at a pharmacy and the first one located outside of a law-enforcement facility. Any resident with unwanted or excess prescription medication can take it to the pharmacy during normal hours of operation and drop the drugs into the box.

Other officials present for the event included Pike County Commissioners Matt Osterberg, Rich Caridi and Steve Guccini; Pike County District Attorney Raymond Tonkin; and David Cali, deputy of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

Osterberg said this was the first drug take-bake effort in the state that is a joint operation between a pharmacy and a local government.