Residents Turn in 8 Tons of Prescription Drugs

16,560 pounds of medication was turned in at 142 collection sites

Los Angeles residents handed over more than 8 tons of medication during the Drug Enforcement Administration's third annual Drug Take-Back event, DEA agents announced Sunday.

The event wrapped up Oct. 29 with 16,560 pounds of medication being turned in at 142 collection sites, including anonymous Safe Drug Drop-Off boxes in front of 21 Los Angeles County Sheriff's stations, said Special Agent Sarah Pullen of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division.

"The Prescription Drug Take-Back program gives area residents a safe way to dispose of their unwanted medication,'' DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Landrum said in a statement. "These medications represent a public safety issue and can lead to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse.''

Law enforcement officials have collected more than 20 tons of medication from circulation in the Los Angeles area during the three Take Back Days held in the past 13 months, Pullen said.

"I want to thank our partners for reaching into our communities and making residents aware of the potential danger of having unused and expired medication in our homes,'' Landrum said. "This collaborative effort resulted in getting more than 8 tons of medicine out of our homes, greatly reducing the hazard they pose to our families and communities.''
 

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