By Jason KUROSU

In an effort to reduce the amount of outdated, unused and misused prescription drugs that folks have in their home medicine cabinet, the Drug Enforcement Agency is holding its fourth Drug Take-Back day on Saturday.     According to the DEA’s website, the third Drug Take-Back day brought in “more than 377,086 pounds (188.5 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,327 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories.”

Collection sites around the foothills will be manned thanks to the participation of members of the Glendale Police Department, CV Sheriff’s Station and GCC Police Department. Collection sites in the immediate foothill area include the CVS on Verdugo Boulevard, the Rite Aid on Foothill in La Crescenta, the Rite Aid on Foothill in La Cañada and the CVS on Foothill in Tujunga.

Residents are encouraged to bring any unused, unwanted and expired medication on Saturday, prescription medication that often lingers in medicine cabinets and is later taken and misused.

“It is very important to [get rid] of the prescription drugs, especially these powerful medications that people are using now,” said CV sheriff’s deputy Jorge Valdivia. “Kids are tuned in to what medication their [parents] or grandma and grandpa are taking.”

Needles and syringes are not included in what will be accepted at collection sites. Valdivia also stressed that the event is for personal prescription drugs, not businesses that need to dispose of outdated drugs.

“We are trying to [clean out] our personal medicine cabinets, not our pharmacists or local doctors that need to dispose of outdated sample of medication.”

Glendale Police officer Joe Allen emphasized that the event will be “completely anonymous.”

After the collections are finished at 2 p.m. on Saturday, “the medications will be deported in a large receptacle, the DEA will take custody of all medications, will weigh all of the substances and then burn them,” said Allen.

For information on finding collection sites nearest you, visit www.justice.gov/dea and use the Collection Site Locator.

  Jason Kurosu