Drug take-back runs Saturday in Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge

The Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition plans to host a “Prescription Drug Take-Back Day” today to combat the rise in pharmaceutical drug abuse.

“There is an alarming trend of pharmaceuticals being abused to substitute for illicit drugs,” said Glendale Police Officer Joe Allen in a statement. “We want to remove some of these unused, expired medications from people’s shelves in order to minimize their abuse or misuse.”

Getting rid of unused medicine cuts off an easy access point to drugs for teenagers who may be raiding their home medicine cabinets — or those in their friends’ homes, said Coalition Executive Director Suzy Jacobs.

“Every day, thousands of teenagers across the country abuse prescription drugs as a way to get high,” Jacobs said in the statement.

Prescription drugs can be dropped off at the following locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Glendale:

CVS parking lot, 1122 E. Broadway

Smart and Final parking lot, 1855 W. Glenoaks Blvd.

Glendale Community College, 1500 N. Verdugo Road

Montrose:

CVS parking lot, 2037 Verdugo Road

La Crescenta:

Rite Aid parking lot, 2647 Foothill Blvd.

La Cañada Flintridge:

Rite Aid parking lot, 647 Foothill Blvd.

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