Full Notification

20th NATIONWIDE PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 20th opportunity in over ten years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal on Saturday, April 24th, 2021, from 10 a.m. to2 p.m. to any one of the below-listed collection sites. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last October, the public turned in 985,392 pounds – 492.7 tons of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal at close to 4,600 collection sites all across the country. This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 13,684,848 pounds or 6,842.4 tons.

Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to potential accidental poisoning, misuse, and overdose. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment. 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. Also, 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. “Educating the public on the proper disposal of unused medicines has led to over 492.7 tons of prescription drugs being turned in. The success of this program is evident; I believe residents are aware of this service and plan for it,” said Sheriff John McMahon.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department will have nine (9) stations participating with the collection of these unused prescription medications. They will be open on Saturday, April 24th, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and no appointment is necessary. The participating sites are listed below: The Needles Police Department will be open on Friday, April 23rd from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Barstow Sheriff’s Station 760-256-4838
225 East Mountain View, Barstow

Big Bear Sheriff’s Station 909-866-0100
477 Summit Boulevard, Big Bear Lake

Central Station 909-387-3545
655 E. Third Street, San Bernardino

Chino Hills Police Department 909-364-2000
14077 Peyton Drive, Chino Hills

Highland Police Department 909-425-9793
26985 Baseline Avenue, Highland

Morongo Basin Patrol Station 760-366-4175
63665 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree

Needles Police Department 760-326-9200 (Friday, April 23rd from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.)
1111 Bailey Avenue, Needles

Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station 909-336-0600
26010 Highway 189, Twin Peaks

Victorville Police Department 760-241-2275
14200 Amargosa Road, Victorville

We encourage every citizen to look in their homes for any old, unused prescription medication and bring them to one of the listed collection sites for disposal. For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 24th Take-Back Day event, go to https://www.dea.gov/ and click on DEA National RX Take Back.

Any public inquiries can be made to 1-800-882-9539 or, contact the Sheriff’s Public Affairs Division at 909. 387.3700

Public Affairs Division
909.387.3700

JOHN McMAHON, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department