Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the perfect time for you to discard your expired or unwanted prescription drugs safely with no questions asked.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration says nearly three-quarters of prescription pain medication abuse cases are prescriptions taken from or given by family and friends.
The Santa Maria Police Department is teaming up with Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley to help dispose of your unused prescription drugs.
“You don't think about it, but a grandchild or a neighbor’s friend can end up using drugs in your house, and bad things can happen when that happens,” said Edwin Weave, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley Executive Director. “Get all those meds — we know we have a lot of them — we just leave them around, we can't flush them down the toilet, we can't throw them in the dump. This is a great, safe way to get rid of your unused medications and keep your community safe at the same time."
“We’ll be handing out information if they're curious. You can either drive through or just drop your medication off, or you can stop in and talk to us and have a conversation,” said Felix Diaz, Santa Maria Police Community Services Division Sergeant. “If you have any questions for us, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley will be there to answer any questions.”
You can head to the Santa Maria Police Department on Betteravia Road on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CVS and Walgreens pharmacies, along with several other pharmacies across the Central Coast also offer drug drop-off locations, so if you can’t make it on Saturday, click here to find a location near you.
