BHPD to Hold Prescription Drug Take Back Day

The Beverly Hills Police Department will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration to provide the public with another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft, by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous prescription drugs.

On Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the public will be able to drop off their unwanted pills at a collection site on Rexford Drive in front of the Beverly Hills Public Library (444 N. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills), free of charge with no questions asked.

During DEA’s three previous National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day events, Los Angeles area residents turned in more than 40 thousand pounds of medicine at over 120 sites manned by federal, state and local law enforcement.

Medicines that languish 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, pose potential safety and health hazards.

Additional collection sites may be located by visiting www.dea.gov and clicking the “Got Drugs?” banner to search by zip code