United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN DIEGO, CA - The Drug Enforcement (DEA) would like to announce that the third National Prescription Take-Back will be held on October 29, 2011 from 10 am to 2 pm.

DEA and its law enforcement and community partners will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. On Saturday, October 29th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. DEA and its partners will hold their third National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day with 34 sites in San Diego and 3 sites in Imperial Counties. The Imperial County locations are as follows: Food 4 Less - , 109 W. Birch Street, Calexico, CA; Vons, - 750 N. Imperial Avenue, El Centro, CA; and Vons, - 475 W. Main Street, Brawley, CA. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last September, DEA San Diego and its partners collected 5890 pounds of prescription drugs from San Diego and Imperial Counties combined. Nationally, citizens turned in over 309 tons of prescription drugs at 5,300 locations.

“Getting these potentially harmful drugs off the streets of our community is an important step in decreasing prescription drug abuse among our youth”, says Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA San Diego William R. Sherman. “Citizens of San Diego and Imperial Counties are encouraged to bring their unused, expired or unwanted medications in to a drop off location near them.”

Partnering law enforcement agencies include San Diego Sheriff’s Department, San Diego PD, Coronado Police Department, US Navy, US Marine Corps, San Diego State University PD, University of California San Diego PD, Escondido PD, La Mesa PD, National City PD, Carlsbad PD, Oceanside PD, El Cajon PD, Chula Vista PD, Sycuan Tribal Police, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Office of Probation and Federal Bureau of Investigation along with several community partners.

For more information about National Prescription Take-Back Day or to find a collection site near you, please visit www.dea.gov.