Prescription Drug Dropoff Day Coming Saturday

Local and federal law enforcement are teaming up for another Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, offering residents the chance to safely clear their shelves of old and unwanted pills.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, sites around the county will be accepting the prescription drugs, but no sharps, with no questions asked. A list of local dropoff locations is below, and the full list of sites is attached.

This is the fourth take-back day led by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in collaboration with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the San Diego Police Department. Over the past three take-back days, people across the country turned in almost 1 million pounds of prescription drugs, according to the DEA.

“Prescription drug abuse is a major epidemic across the country and DEA is committed to reducing the potential for misuse by providing a safe and secure method for Americans to clean out their medicine cabinets and properly dispose of unwanted, unneeded, or expired medications,” DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart said in a statement.

Local dropoff spots:

• Scripps Rancho Bernardo Clinic, 15004 Innovation Dr., San Diego.
• Poway Sheriff's Station, 13100 Bowron Road, Poway.
• Escondido Police Station, 1163 N. Centre City Pkwy, Escondido.

The San Diego Police Department also accepts prescription drug dropoffs year-round at two locations:

• Northwestern Division: 12592 El Camino Real, San Diego.
• Southeastern Division: 7222 Skyline Dr.