This Saturday, September 27th, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Drug Enforcement Agency, will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs during the 9th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
Members of the public may bring their medications for disposal to one of three sites between the hours of 10:00am to 2:00pm. The sites are:
- Sheriff’s Area 1 substation at 21925 W Manning Ave, San Joaquin
- Sheriff’s Area 2 substation at 5717 E. Shields Ave, Fresno.
- Sheriff’s Area 3 substation at 1055 S Golden State, Selma.
Unused medications in homes create a public health and safety concern, because they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused. While the number of Americans who currently abuse prescription drugs dropped in 2013 to 6.5 million from 6.8 million in 2012, that is still more than double the number of those using heroin, cocaine, and hallucinogens like LSD and Ecstasy combined, according to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
The public’s enormous response to the eight prior National Take Back Days demonstrates its recognition of the need for a way to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous prescription drugs.
Citizens may also drop off unused prescription drugs at the following locations:
- Fresno Sheriff's Office HQ (out in front of the lobby)
- Fresno P.D. (inside their narcotics office building)
- Clovis P.D. (in front of office)
- Coalinga P.D. (Lobby)
- Mendota P.D. (inside their lobby)
- Orange Cove P.D. (outside in front of office)
- Parlier P.D. (outside in front of office)
- Reedley P.D. (outside in front of office)
- Sanger P.D. (outside near their city offices, P.D. and city hall)
- Fowler P.D. (outside in P.D./City hall courtyard)
***Syringes will not be accepted at any site.***