SANTA ANA – On October 24, 2020, two members of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) and the California Association of Food and Drug Investigators (CAFDI) assisted with a kiosk where state workers and members of the public could safely dispose of their unwanted, unneeded or expired prescription drugs on National Drug Take Back Day. The kiosk was set up in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) building in Santa Ana. Helping to assist were CDPH Investigator Diane Oesterle and Program Specialist Christina Grant.
The pair reported that the public and fellow state employees were grateful they were providing an opportunity to safely dispose of prescription medicine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that it and its partners across the county collected a record amount of unwanted medications October 24th. The unwanted medications collected weighed in at nearly a million pounds, the largest amount ever collected in the program’s ten years.
“Thank you to our members who assisted Californians with disposing of their medications in a safe manner,” said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona. “Removing prescription pills that are no longer needed from homes prevents addiction and overdoses. It also prevents them from being tossed into landfills and sewage systems.”
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, safe and secure drug disposal continues to be available at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors throughout the year. For more information, visit: https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1.
DEA also encourages the public to reach out to their local law enforcement to find out if they have any permanent drug disposal locations throughout their local community.
