Dispose of your unwanted prescription drugs Saturday in Riverside County
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is partnering with the DEA in a nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” this weekend. The event takes place Saturday, September 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The program allows the public to drop off potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at any of the following sheriff’s stations in Riverside County:
Cabazon Sheriff’s Station – 50290 Main Street Cabazon, CA 92230 (951) 922-7100
Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station – 7477 Mission Boulevard Riverside, CA 92509 (951) 955-2600
Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station – 333 Limited Avenue Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 (951) 245-3300
Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station 73705 Gerald Ford Drive Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 836-3215
Perris Sheriff’s Station 137 N. Perris Blvd. Suite A Perris, CA 92570 (951) 210-1000
Southwest Sheriff’s Station 30755 A Auld Road Murrieta, CA 92563 (951) 696-3000
According to the sheriff’s release, last April, Americans turned in over 780,000 lbs. of prescription drugs at nearly 6,100 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,400 of its state and local law enforcement partners.
When those results are combined with what was collected in its eight previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 4.1 million pounds-more than 2,100 tons-of pills.
This program addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans aren’t aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, 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.
In addition, many folks don’t know how to properly dispose of unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away — both potential safety and health hazards.
So if you have unused or unwanted prescription drugs sitting around in your medicine cabinet, head to the event at any of the listed sheriff’s stations and dispose of them responsibly for free.
More information about National Take-Back initiative
