BREMERTON — A Leadership Kitsap visionaries team, working in  partnership with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, has developed a permanent drug  disposal program for unused prescription medications.

A kick-off event, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, is scheduled to highlight the drug take back program. Keynote speakers will address the devastating impacts of pain prescription abuse and the  environmental impacts of improperly disposed medications.

The events is at Olympic College Bremer Student Center, 1600 Chester Ave.

Permanent receptacles for disposing of unused medications will soon be installed in the lobbies of the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Offices in Central and South Kitsap.

Previously, drug take back events were conducted under the auspices of the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration on a designated weekend day, usually twice per year.

This initiative will permit county residents to dispose of prescription medications on any weekday during sheriff’s office business hours.