SHERIFF-CORONER DEPARTMENT
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gail Krause, (714) 647-1840
OC Sheriff’s Department and DEA Host National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
SANTA ANA, California (April 24, 2013) – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) along with theOrange County Sheriff’s Department has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Daywhich will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This event will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Below is a list of collection sites:
- OCSD South Sub-Station11 Journey, Aliso Viejo
- Laguna Hills Community Center, 25555 Alicia Pkwy, Laguna Hills
- Laguna Niguel City Hall, 30111 Crown Valley Pkwy, Laguna Niguel
- Lake Forest City Hall, 25550 Commercentre, Lake Forest
- Mission Viejo City Hall, 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo
- Rush Park, 3021 Blume Drive, Rossmoor
- San Clemente Police Services, 100 Ave. Presidio, San Clemente
- San Juan Capistrano City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano
- Yorba Linda Community Center, 4501 Casa Loma Ave. Yorba Linda
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible meansof disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications. In the five previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with state, local, and tribal law enforcementpartners have collected more than 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of prescription medications and removedthem from circulation.
Shortly after DEA’s first Take-Back Day event three years ago, Congress passed, and PresidentObama signed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010. This act amended the ControlledSubstances Act (CSA), allowing DEA to develop permanent, ongoing, and responsible methods fordisposal.
According to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), more than six million Americans abuse prescription drugs. That same study revealed that more than 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers got them throughfriends or relatives, a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet.
In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – both pose potential safety and health hazards.
This prescription drug epidemic is especially growing in Orange County, and takes an Orange County life every two days. Not only is the death count rising from drug overdose, but it has now exceeded deaths by car crashes, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. This is a great opportunity for those whomissed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs,to safely dispose of those medications.
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SANDRA HUTCHENSSHERIFF-CORONER
COUNTY OF ORANGE, CALIFORNIA
550 NORTH FLOWER STREET – P.O. BOX 449
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702-0449
(714) 647-7042