The Bakersfield Police Department is announcing our involvement in this year’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Program. The program will take place on September 26, 2015, between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm at both the downtown station, located at 1601 Truxtun Av. and the west side station located at 1301 Buena Vista Rd. where collection sites will be available.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the National Prescription Drug Take-Back addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazard.
In the previous nine Take-Back events nationwide from 2010-2014, 4,823,251 pounds, or 2,411 tons of drugs were collected.
