Law enforcement to hold drug take-back event

Three law enforcement agencies will host a prescription drug disposal event at the Target store, 1790 Airline Hwy., in Hollister on Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, the Hollister Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration are working in conjunction to put the event together.
The goal of the event is to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding local homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
Last April, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds – 276 tons – of prescription drugs at more than 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. 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 – both pose potential safety and health hazards and risk the contamination of the water supplies. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.