By Mary O’KEEFE

According to the U.S. Pharmacies and Drug Store Industry, an estimated 4.25 billion retail prescriptions will be filled throughout the U.S. in 2019 with about 300 million in California alone. Over time, many of these will become outdated. So what should a person do with these outdated meds?

It is not advised to throw old or no longer needed prescription drugs in the trash or down the toilet. Instead, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.-Crescenta Valley will collect prescription drugs at the station every third Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon.

At one point there had been three receptacles outside the station for the disposal of marijuana, sharps (hypodermic needles) and prescription drugs. In 2018, the department took away two of those receptacles leaving only the one for sharps, due to businesses dropping off drugs in bulk amounts.

All three receptacles, which looked like mailboxes, would often be filled to the top, which made it very difficult, and dangerous, for the station’s personnel to empty.

Having the ability to drop off unwanted or expired prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs and marijuana once a month has allowed the program to continue to help the public.

No appointment is necessary. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.-Crescenta Valley station is located at 4554 Briggs Ave. in La Crescenta.

  Mary Okeefe