Courtesy/DEA

LAPD News:

Det. Sgt. Oliver Morris and his team at the Los Alamos Police are set to host a “Prescription Drug Take Back Day” between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., April 27 in the east parking lot of Los Alamos Medical Center, 3917 West Road.

The local event is being conducted as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s national “Prescription Drug Take Back Day.”

This is a great opportunity for citizens who have accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.

In the four previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with state, local and tribal law enforcement partners have collected more than 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of prescription medications.

National and local Prescription Drug Take-Back Day events aim to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.

Shortly after DEA’s first Take-Back Day event two years ago, Congress passed, and President Obama signed, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amended the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), allowing DEA to develop permanent, ongoing, and responsible methods for disposal.

Prior to the passage of the Disposal Act, the CSA provided no legal means for transferring possession of controlled substance medications from users to other individuals for disposal.

On Dec. 21, 2012, DEA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Disposal of Controlled Substances.

These regulations would implement the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-273) by expanding the options available to collect controlled substances from ultimate users for purposes of disposal to include: Take-Back events, mail-back programs, and collection receptacle locations.

However, until these regulations become permanent, DEA will continue to hold Take-Back Days.