The 5th National Prescription Take Back will be held Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at locations throughout the region. A multi-agency press conference will happen tomorrow at Kellogg Park in La Jolla; members of the media are expected to attend in significant numbers.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and its law enforcement and community partners will give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
Saturday, September 29, 38 sites (visit LGBTweekly.com for a complete list) in San Diego and three sites in Imperial Counties will be set up to safely receive unused prescriptions. The Imperial County locations are as follows: Food 4 Less, 109 W. Birch Street, Calexico, CA; Vons, 750 N. Imperial Avenue, El Centro, CA; and Vons, 475 W. Main Street, Brawley, CA. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April, DEA San Diego and its partners collected 9,164 pounds of prescription drugs from San Diego and Imperial Counties combined. Nationally, consumers turned in more than 276 tons of prescription drugs at 5,659 locations.
“The reduction of the availability of prescription drugs continues to be a priority for the law enforcement in San Diego County”, says Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA San Diego William R. Sherman. “The success we have had in our prior Take Back events, demonstrates that keeping these potentially deadly drugs out of the hands of our youth is also a priority for the citizens of San Diego and Imperial Counties.”
For more information about National Prescription Take Back day or to find a collection site near you, please visit dea.gov
