Got Drugs? CV Sheriff's Station Wants Them

On Saturday the CV Drug/Alcohol Prevention Coalition, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are coming together to host a drug drop-off at the .

The event is meant to get prescription and over-the-counter medications and hypodermic needles that are no longer being used safely out of the home. As a pamphet from their campaign explains, "unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse."

Just because a drug is prescribed doesn't change the fact that it's a drug, and some substances are highly addictive and/or dangerous to those not under the prescription. The pamphlet further states, "The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from famiy and friends-and the home medicine cabinet."

Some people might ask, why not just throw the drugs away if you're not using them? Drugs thrown away can be easily retrieved, used, and sold, according to the pamphlet. Why not flush them? Flushed drugs contaminate the water supply.

Therefore, to safely rid the home of narcotics, a drug dropoff will be in full swing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - with no questions asked - as part of a mass drug take-back happening at twenty stations across Los Angeles.

While the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station is a safe location to drop off unwanted and expired prescription medications, hypodermic needles, and illicit drugs in an anonymous manner every day and night of the year, said Capt. Dave Silversparre, a representative of the Drug Enforcement Agency will be on duty at the station on Saturday.

"Getting unwanted drugs off the streets and out of the house for safety purposes, and in an environmentally friendly manner, is important to help control medication from getting in the wrong hands,'' he said.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, deputies have collected and disposed safely of the following, countywide, during the last year: 

• 15, 041.81 pounds of prescription medications (nearly 8 tons)

• 3,478 pounds of used (376,237) syringes (nearly 3-1/2 tons)

• 5.33 pounds of illicit drugs