San Rafael, CA – To address a vital public safety and public health issue, many law enforcement agencies and fire stations around Marin County plan to participate in Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) eighth annual Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26.
Take-Bake Day is designed to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications and over-the-counter pills. The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Marinwood Fire Department will accept pills for disposal at the Marinwood fire station, 777 Miller Creek Road in San Rafael. Police stations in San Rafael, Mill Valley, Novato, Tiburon, Belvedere and the Kentfield campus of College of Marin are designated drop-off stations as well.
To participate, take pills out of containers and place them in baggies for safe disposal at a drop-off site. No salves, creams or other types of medications can be accepted.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses. Over the past decade, there has been a 300 percent increase nationally in emergency room visits involving the non-medical use of narcotic pain relievers. 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 long-used methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — pose potential safety and health hazards to people and the environment.
For locations where you can drop off unwanted medications throughout the year, go to the County’s Medical Waste Program webpage. Check the DEA searchable database for more Take-Back Day locations.