Got Unwanted Prescriptions? Clear Your Medicine Cabinet This Weekend In Temecula

TEMECULA, CA — Riverside County residents can safely dispose of expired, unused, or unwanted drugs on Saturday during "National Drug Take-Back Day."

In Temecula, residents can return prescriptions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Temecula Station, at 33145 Temecula Parkway.

The effort is organized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, to underscore the importance of taking commonly abused drugs out of circulation.

Locations where people can drop off unwanted medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday include the following:

-- Corona Police Department, 730 Public Safety Way;

-- Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center, Lot 4B, 10800 Magnolia Ave.;

-- Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Temecula Station, 33145 Temecula Parkway; and

-- Sun City Palm Desert, 38180 Del Webb Blvd.

Additional locations may be added at the last minute.

"Since 2010, Take-Back Day has helped Americans remove more than twenty million pounds of unneeded medications from their homes," DEA Administrator Terry Cole said. "By participating in Take-Back Day, you are preventing potentially addictive medications from falling into the wrong hands — a small step that can save lives. I urge everyone to take a few minutes on Saturday to clean out medicine cabinets."

During the last Take-Back Day in April, DEA officials said the nation collected 321 tons of unwanted medications.

Collection sites will accept tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The sites will not accept any liquids, syringes, sharps, or illicit drugs.

Don't see your town listed? See a complete list of take-back sites throughout Southern California is available at dea.gov/takebackday.

The DEA noted that provisions in the federal Secure & Responsible Drug Disposal Act authorize pharmacies, hospitals and other facilities to serve as collection sites year-round.