The Palm Desert Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
The drug 'Take Back' event takes place Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Medications for disposal can be brought to the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station, at 73705 Gerald Ford Drive, in Palm Desert. Other Coachella Valley agencies participating in the event include:
- Indio Police Department, 46800 Jackson Street
- Cathedral City Police Department, 68700 Avenida Lalo Guerrero
- Desert Hot Springs Police Department, 65950 Pierson Boulevard
- Palm Springs Police Department, 200 South Civic Drive
The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds – 276 tons – of prescription drugs in Palm Desert and at over 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners. In its four previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in over 1.5 million pounds – nearly 775 tons – of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, 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, 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.
For more information about this year’s event, click here or call 760-836-1600.
