Got Drugs? Dispose of Medications Safely on April 30

In an effort to prevent pill abuse and potential theft of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other U.S. police agencies have teamed up to offer the public an opportunity to safely get rid of these medications this Saturday.

The nationwide effort will take place on April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Artesia and Cerritos residents can drop off unused prescription drugs at either the sheriff's Lakewood Station at 5130 North Clark Ave. in Lakewood, or at the nearby sheriff’s Norwalk Station located at 12335 Civic Center Dr. in Norwalk. There are also 24-hour  “Safe Drug Drop-Off boxes” located in front of each station for those who cannot make it during Saturday's event.

The Sheriff’s Department encourages everyone to look in their homes for any old or unused prescription drugs and bring them to a collection site. The drop-off service is free and anonymous with no questions asked. 

This joint initiative addresses the vital public health issue of misuse and abuse of these usused medications. Experts say prescription drug abuse rates in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to those drugs. Prescription drug abuse is more prevalent than the use of cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined, according to the sheriff’s department. 

“Our Safe Drug Drop-Off program provides the residents of Los Angeles County with a safe and convenient way to dispose of their unused prescription medication,” said Sheriff Lee Baca. 

During the last multi-agency effort in Sept. 2010, Americans turned in 242,000 pounds (121 tons) of prescription drugs at nearly 4,100 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners, the Sheriff's Department said.

Additionally, in Los Angeles County over the past year, the following has been collected by the Sheriff’s Department, and disposed of in a safe manner: 

• 15,041.81 pounds of prescription medications (nearly 8 tons) 
• 3,478 pounds of used (376,237) syringes (nearly 3-1/2 tons) 
• 5.33 pounds of illicit drugs 

Additional drop-off sites throughout Southern California can be found by visiting  www.dea.gov and clicking on the “Got Drugs?” icon. For additional information pertaining to DEA and prescription drug abuse, visit www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com 

To read more information about the LASD Safe Drug Drop Off program, visit the following link on the LASD website: http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_152501.pdf