Martin Feinberg, Realtor, notes that this Saturday, April 27, the Culver City Police Department will be collecting unused prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as a part of the 17thannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. They be working with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration and will be collecting the unused drugs at 4040 Duquesne Ave, Culver City, CA 90232.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has labeled America’s opioid crisis a public health emergency, claiming an average of 130 lives each day. Unused prescription painkillers, along with other drugs, can easily end up in the wrong hands when they are not disposed of properly, adding to that problem. This is one of the reasons that local law enforcement agencies periodically collect unused drugs from the public.
DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon said helping people dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications is one way to break the cycle of addiction and drug overdoses.
Dhillon stated, “Addiction causes a tremendous amount of pain and suffering, not just for those addicted to drugs, but also for their families and friends.”
According to the DEA, prescription drug abuse often starts with a legal prescription, and the majority of drug abusers say they get their drugs from family and friends, including stealing from home medicine cabinets.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day also helps to keep well meaning people from flushing unused prescription drugs down the toilet. This is a practice that can seem harmless but is actually incredibly harmful to the environment as the dissolved drugs easily end up in the groundwater and drinking water systems.
Local listing agent Martin Feinberg encourages those who can’t make it to the Culver City location on Saturday to find a drug take back site here.
The service provided during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is free and completely anonymous. All pills will be accepted. Liquids, needles and sharps can’t be taken during this event however.
For those Culver City Real Estate Area residents looking for ways to dispose of those types of drugs or paraphernalia, the Environmental Protection Agency offers guidance on disposing of sharps and other medical waste. The Food and Drug Administration also offers tips on getting rid of liquid medicines that are expired or no longer needed.
The collection days have yielded more than 11 million pounds—or more 5,400 tons—of prescription drugs. California collected 69,077 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs during the October 2018 take-back day alone, contributing to a total haul of more than 457 tons nationwide.
