Drop off unwanted or expired meds Saturday at National Prescription Drug Take-Back sites nationwide

Quick, how do you dispose of leftover prescription drugs you no longer use? If your answer is throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the toilet, the Drug Enforcement Administration wants you to think again. Both actions pose potential health and safety hazards.

Instead, bring unwanted and expired drugs to one of more than 3,400 collection sites across the country from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday during National Prescription Drug Take-Back. The drug agency has embarked on this campaign as a way to curb prescription drug abuse (unwanted meds collecting dust in your medicine cabinet could be scooped up by a friend or relative) and accidental poisonings.

Here’s how it works: You can drop off unwanted prescription or over-the-counter drugs in tablet or capsule form anonymously, no questions asked. Sites won’t take intravenous solutions, injectables or needles; or illicit drugs like methamphetamine or marijuana.

To find a collection site near you: Go to the DEA’s Office of Diversions webpage and enter your ZIP Code or city and state. If you don’t find a place, check back often as the list of sites is constantly being updated.

Read how communities across the nation are participating in the campaign:

“Town hosts event to reduce pill abuse” by the Hartford Courant
“Police, DEA to collect old medications for proper disposal” by the Baltimore Sun
“Lake County participating in national drug take-back day” at the Orlando Sentinel
“Local police departments to participate in ‘drug take-back’ event” at the Newport News Daily Press
“As prescription drug abuse climbs, DEA offers locations to dump unwanted medicine Saturday” at the Los Angeles Times

--Mary Forgione/For the Los Angeles Times