Expired Drug Drop at Long Beach Memorial Underway

 Expired and unwanted prescription drugs can be safely dropped in Long Beach from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. today, Saturday, at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

The event is a partnership between the hospital and Long Beach Police Department, which said there will be a drive-thru service that is free and anonymous. "Each car will receive a free giveaway (while supplies last), and the driver of the 25th, 50th and 75th participating vehicle will be awarded a pair of Aquarium of the Pacific tickets," the LBPD news release said.
Time:            10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location:      Long Beach Memorial 
                      2801 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, CA
                      (enter main campus entrance off of Atlantic Avenue, drive through campus on
                      Memorial Medical Center Drive and exit onto Long Beach Boulevard).

From the news release:

"Many Americans are not aware that medications that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Prescription drug abuse in the United States is increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to their availability. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medications, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away … both potential safety and health hazards."

For more information regarding the National Take Back Initiative, visit http://www.dea.gov or contact the Long Beach Police Department’s Drug Investigations Section at (562) 570-7221.

In addition, the City of Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services will also be on hand at this event to collect sharps (lancets, hypodermic needles, and syringes).  According to California state law, it is illegal to dispose of home-generated sharps waste in the trash or recycling containers.  This type of waste must be disposed of in approved and properly labeled containers at sharps collection points, household hazardous waste roundup events, hazardous waste sites or through an approved medical waste mail-back service.  For additional information on the disposal of home-generated sharps, contact Glenn Fong at (562) 570-4147 or visit www.longbeach.gov/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=3701&TargetID=32.

At the DEA’s last take-back event on April 28, citizens nationwide turned in a record-breaking 552,161 pounds (276 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,659 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories, according to the DEA. 

There have been four Take-Back Days to date that have removed over 1.5 million pounds (774 tons) of medication from circulation resulting from its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners. 

For more details, go to: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/