Second Annual Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday

Public safety officials will help you get rid of any unwanted prescription drugs this Saturday, part of a national campaign to combat pill abuse and theft.

On Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the , in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration and state law enforcement agencies, will host the second annual "Take Back Day" at the San Leandro Police station. 

The public is invited to bring any unwanted, expired or unused prescription drugs — no questions asked. Syringes and injectibles will not be accepted for safety reasons, according to a news release about the event.

At the first Take Back event, held last September across the nation, Americans turned in a total of over 242,000 pounds of prescription drugs at over 4,000 drop-off sites, according to the news release. 

Currently, more Americans abuse prescription drugs than cocaine, hallucinogens and heroin combined, according to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, cited in the news release. Prescription drug abusers often get their pills from family and friends, according to drug enforcement officials.

“I encourage every American to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to safely dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs,” Gil Kerlikowkse, Director of National Drug Control Policy, said in the news release. 

“Preventing these readily available and potentially deadly drugs from being diverted and misused is something each and every one of us can do to help reduce the epidemic of prescription drug abuse that is harming so many Americans.”