SFPD Nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back Day Nets Over 700lbs of Medication

The San Francisco Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and other local law enforcement agencies took part of a nationwide prescription drug “Take Back” day last Saturday, April 26, 2014.

San Francisco Police district police stations collected 730.6lbs of unused/unwanted prescription medication.

Through the San Francisco Division of the DEA (Northern California), over 20 tons were collected. The safe and secure collection and disposal these medications not only saves lives, but protects the environment and ecosystem.

Last October, Americans turned in 324 tons (over 647,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at over 4,114 sites operated by the DEA and its thousands of state and local law enforcement partners. When those results are combined with what was collected in its seven previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 3.4 million pounds—more than 1,700 tons—of pills.

Information is also available at U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration website.