CHICAGO (CBS) — Police are making a big effort this coming weekend to get unused prescription drugs out of people’s homes.

As WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports, various county and local police departments are taking part in the nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back program on Saturday.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports

A similar event in October netted 377,000 pounds – more than 188 tons – of old or no-longer-needed prescription meds being turned in to police.

“Prescription drug abuse is on such a rise and so much is going on that as people would have these around the house, that helped create a black market, so to speak,” said Kane County Sheriff’s Lt. Pat Gengler.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Department is starting the prescription meds turn-in program Wednesday, collecting at all the five suburban courthouses through Saturday.

“The amount of drugs in people’s houses that they don’t need is staggering,” said Sheriff Tom Dart.

Dart continued: “We see it virtually every day in people who have burglaries committed where drugs are taken; people who have their own loved ones get access to narcotics, and frankly, to overdoses as well.”

Among the law enforcement agencies taking part this weekend are the Lake County, Illinois, Cook County and Kane County sheriff’s departments, as well as Naperville and Crystal Lake police departments and many more.