The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will give the public its 23rd opportunity in over 12 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs.
Folks can bring their pills for disposal on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to any of the collection sites. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April, the public turned in 721,093 pounds – 360 tons – of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal at over 5,000 collection sites across the country. This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 15,989,566 pounds or 7,995 tons.
Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to potential accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment.
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 most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. Also, Americans are 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 7,900 tons of prescription drugs being turned in. The success of this program is evident; I believe residents are aware of this service being provided to them every six months and they plan for it,” said Sheriff Shannon Dicus.
Among the locations the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department will have participating in the collection of unused prescription medications is the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station. It will be available on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and no appointment is necessary.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the 23rd Take-Back Day event, go to https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html.