Portland Region Law Enforcement to Host Drug Take-Back Events April 29

To assist with drug abuse prevention in their local communities, several law enforcement agencies throughout the Portland metro region are conducting drug drop-off events this weekend in partnership with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

At these events, members of the respective agency's community can drop off unwanted or expired prescription drugs for safe disposal.

Acceptable items include:

• Any unwanted prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines, including samples;
• vitamins;
• pet medications;
• medicated ointments; and
• liquid medication in leak proof containers.

Items Not Accepted include:

• Illegal drugs;
• bloody medical waste or trash;
• thermometers;
• syringes, or needles;
• IV solutions;
• EpiPens;
• inhalers;
• sharps;
• hydrogen peroxide; and
• aerosol cans.

A few of the agencies are combining their drug take-back event with document shredding for sensitive materials, for which most agencies accept two full grocery-sized bags of paper. Check with your local law enforcement agency to verify if their event is combined and how much paper they're willing to accept.

Most agencies conduct two drug drop-off and shred events per year but also have pharmaceutical drop-boxes available to residents during business hours year round.

Click here for a complete list of year-round pharmaceutical drop-off boxes in Oregon.

For quick referencing, Patch compiled a list of the city departments and county sheriff's offices hosting events from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 29:

• Beaverton Police Department, 4755 S.W. Griffith Dr. in Beaverton;
• Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, 12700 S.E. 82nd Ave. in Clackamas;
• Forest Grove Police Department, 2102 Pacific Ave. in Forest Grove;
• Gladstone Police Department, 535 Portland Ave. in Gladstone;
• Lake Oswego Police Department, 505 G Ave. in Lake Oswego;
• Milwaukie Police Department, 3200 S.E. Harrison St. in Milwaukie;
• Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (at the Troutdale Police Community Center), 234 S.W. Kendall Ct. in Troutdale;
• Portland Police Bureau, Southeast Precinct, 4735 E. Burnside St. in Portland;
• Sherwood Police Department, 20495 S.W. Borchers Dr. in Sherwood;
• Tigard Police Department, 13125 S.W. Hall Blvd. in Tigard;
• Tualatin Police Department, 8650 S.W. Tualatin Rd. in Tualatin; and
• Washington County Sheriff's Office at three locations: the Aloha Villa Shopping Center, 18075 S.W. Tualatin Valley Hwy; WCSO Bethany Station, 4876 N.W. Bethany Blvd.; and the Cornelius Police Department, 1311 N. Barlow St.

Editor's note: If you know of an agency in your area hosting a drug drop-off event that isn't listed here, please send an email to Travis.Loose@Patch.com.

Image via Shutterstock