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 Over time, many of these will become outdated. So what should a person do with those outdated meds?

It is not recommended to throw them into the garbage or flush them down the toilet. In fact, recent studies have shown that ocean life is adversely affected by medication in the water.

There is a solution, though, and it is as close as the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station.

For about seven years, the CV Station had three receptacles in the front of its building. These were for the collection of hypodermic needles, marijuana and prescription drugs. The original purpose was to give local residents a place to dispose of these items, but it didn’t quite turn out that way – at least not for the dropping off of prescription meds.

“We were finding that businesses were dropping [items] off in bulk amounts,” said Lt. Mark Slater, CV Sheriff’s Station.

There were so many items being deposited that the receptacles, which looked like mailboxes, were regularly filled to the top.

“One business could come by in the middle of the night and drop off enough to fill a [bin],” he added.

Not only did this fill the receptacles, but it also made it very difficult ¬– and dangerous – for the station’s personnel to empty, especially the receptacle for hypodermic needles.

Because of this, the decision was made a few months ago to remove the drug drop-off receptacles. The collection bin for the sharps, or hypodermics, remained. Although the bins were gone, the need still existed for residents to have a safe place to dispose of unwanted prescription medication. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. has been working on a solution that would allow community members to drop off the drugs without allowing the bulk disposal by businesses.

It was announced that there will be a monthly drug drop-off at the CV Sheriff’s Station when residents can bring in their unwanted or outdated medications. The station personnel will have a designated area set up in the lobby of the station to receive the medication.

“You can turn in the [drugs] with no questions asked,” Slater said.

In the past, there were family members who dropped off drugs, including marijuana, they had found in their child’s possession. They were assured by the sheriff’s personnel that there would be no questions as to where the drugs came from, and that philosophy will be maintained.

“We want to make it so people feel comfortable bringing the [medications] into the station,” Slater said.

The first drop off will be on March 21 from 9 a.m. to noon. The second will be on April 18. Slater said they are still working on scheduling and he hopes in the future to have drop offs later in the day to accommodate those who work during the day.

The sharps receptacle still remains at the front of the station.

The CV Sheriff’s Station is located at 4554 Briggs Ave. For more information, contact the station at (818) 248-3464.

  Mary Okeefe