A sample of some of the more than 700 pounds of prescription drugs that were anonymously turned over to authorities during last year’s National Pharmaceutical Take-back Initiative. A similar event is slated for this Saturday. Photo courtesy of LBPD.
11:54am | The Long Beach Police Department and the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, is again collecting unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications as part of the National Pharmaceutical Take-back Initiative this weekend.
A program of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the initiative takes aim at prescription medication abuse and theft through the collection of “potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs,” according to information provided by the the LBPD.
The city participated in the program last year with what city officials labeled “successful” results. More than 700 pounds of pharmaceuticals were collected during the one-day event, resulting in the city’s ranking second relative to the amount of prescription drugs that were handed in out of all participating cities statewide, police said.
The LBPD, DHHS and DEA are teaming once again this Saturday, April 30, when from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. residents can anonymously turn in their old, unused, unwanted or expired medications at a drive-thru-style drop-off station located at DHHS headquarters at 2525 Grand Ave.
Police cite prescription drug abuse and misuse as an increasingly vital public health and safety concern.
“Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs,” according an event announcement sheet. “Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets.”
Police said that studies also illustrate that most people do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medications, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away, both of which pose potential safety and health risks for humans as well as the environment.
All of the medications collected Saturday will be turned over to the DEA, which will “safely” destroy the drugs, police said.
Additional information on the National Pharmaceutical Take-back Initiative can be found at DEA.gov or by calling the LBPD’s Drug Investigations Section at 562-570-7221.
Long Beach police officers are busy at work collecting unwanted, unused and expired prescription medications from anonymous residents during the 2010 National Pharmaceutical Take-back Initiative. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday. Photo courtesy of LBPD.