Full Notification

15^th NATIONWIDE PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY
 
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 15th opportunity in over seven years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your pills for disposal on Saturday, April 28^th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to any one of the below-listed collection sites.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. 
 
Last October, the public turned in 912,305 pounds (456 tons) of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription druges for disposal at more than 5,300 collection sites.  That is almost six tons more than was collectd at last spring’s event.  This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 9,015,668 pounds, or 4,508 tons.
 
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. Also, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.  “Educating the public on the proper disposal of unused medicines has led to over 4,500 tons of prescription drugs being turned in.  The success of this program is evident; I believe residents are aware of this every six-month service being provided to them and, they plan for it,” said Sheriff John McMahon.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department will have TEN stations participating with the collection of these unused prescription medications.   They will be open on Saturday, April 28^th, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and no appointment is necessary.   The participating sites are listed below:
 
Apple Valley Police Department  760-240-7400
14931 Dale Evans Parkway, Apple Valley
 
Barstow Sheriff’s Department  760-256-4838
225 East Mt. View, Barstow
 
Central Station  909-884-0156
655 East Third Street, San Bernardino
 
Hesperia Police Department 760-947-1500
15840 Smoke Tree Street, Hesperia
 
 
Highland Police Department   909-425-9793
26985 East Baseline, Highland
 
Morongo Basin Station 760 366-4175
63665 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree
 
Needles Police Department 760-326-9200
1111 Bailey Avenue, Needles
 
Phelan Substation 760-868-1006
4050 Phelan Road, Phelan
 
Rancho Cucamonga Police Department   909-477-2800
10510 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga
 
Victorville Police Department   760-241-2911
14200 Amargosa Road, Victorville
 
 
We encourage every citizen to look in their homes for any old, unused prescription medication and bring them to one of the listed collection sites for disposal.  For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 28th Take-Back Day event, go to https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/
 
Any public inquiries can be made to 1-800-882-9539 or, contact the Sheriff’s Public Affairs Division at 909. 387.3700
 
Public Affairs Division
909.387.3700
 
 
JOHN McMAHON, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department