On Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., we will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day at two locations: the Oasis Senior Center and Hoag Hospital’s Sunset View Parking Lot. (See attached image for more information.)
This event gives the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by removing potentially-dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs from their homes. Anyone with medications to dispose of can bring them to either of the designated locations for quick and easy drop-off. The service is free and anonymous; no questions asked.
Last October, our city was one of nearly 5,200 sites throughout the country that participated in this event. Nationwide, the DEA and its partner agencies accepted 336 tons (over 731,000 pounds) of prescription drugs in October, and a staggering 7.1 million pounds in all twelve Drug Take-Back events to date. These are medicines that were languishing in home cabinets, highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. The traditional methods of disposing of unused medicines—like flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—pose potential safety and health hazards, but National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is a safe and straightforward solution.
For additional information on this event, please visit the DEA’s website at www.dea.gov.
