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Crime & Safety

SD County Sheriff's Department Participates in National Prescription Take Back Day

The Lemon Grove Sheriff's station and other locations in the East County will take expired or unneeded prescription drugs until 2 p.m. today.

People with expired or unneeded prescription drugs can responsibly get rid of them today by taking part in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's sixth National Prescription Take Back Day.

Law enforcement agencies, military bases, hospitals, universities and businesses across the San Diego area will accept dropped-off medications between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to the DEA. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

During the previous installment of the campaign, in September, the federal agency and its law enforcement partners collected 7,542 pounds of pharmaceuticals in San Diego and Imperial counties, officials reported.

Nationally, citizens turned in more than 244 tons of prescription drugs at 5,200 locations.

"The reduction of the availability of prescription drugs continues to be a priority for the law enforcement in San Diego County," said William Sherman, acting special agent in charge of the DEA's San Diego office. "The success we have had in our prior take-back events demonstrates that keeping these potentially deadly drugs out of the hands of our youth is also a priority for (the public)."

Prescription drugs often fall into the hands of recreational users, including youths who take the substances from unsuspecting adults, or are improperly discarded, posing public-health risks, according to medical and law enforcement officials.

Medications may be dropped off at any of the following locations in East San Diego County:

-- Lemon Grove Sheriff's Station, 3240 Main St.;

-- Alpine Sheriff's Station, 2751 Alpine Blvd.;

-- El Cajon Police Department headquarters, 100 Civic Center Way;

-- La Mesa Police Department headquarters, 8085 University Ave.;

-- San Diego State University, parking information booth, 6095 Canyon Crest Drive);

-- Sycuan Tribal Police Station, 5522 Sycuan Road, Dehesa; and

-- Walgreen's, 10512 Mission Gorge Road, Santee.


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