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On Saturday, April 30, 2022, from 10 am to 2 pm the Seal Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
Bring your pills for disposal to the front gate of Leisure World located at 13533 Seal Beach Boulevard. The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
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. In addition, 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.
“Throughout Orange County we hear of tragic events in which people die from an overdose of prescription medication,” said Seal Beach Chief of Police Philip L. Gonshak. “By creating this opportunity for the community to safely dispose of their unused and expired medication, our goal is to help prevent access to dangerous prescription medication. We are grateful for the continued partnership with the Golden Rain Foundation and Leisure World community for allowing us to host this event at their main entrance.”
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Take Back Day event, visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/.
