Focusing on cannabis — which has no lethal dose — has clued us into the insane number of unintentional prescription drug overdose deaths in America, which total about 18,000 per year. Statistically, two Americans will die from an unintentional overdose of drugs like Vicodin or Oxycontin before the end of your lunch hour.
Amplifying this insanity is the fact that there’s no easy way to even dispose of the drugs. Throwing them in the garbage poisons the land, and flushing them down the toilet fouls our waters. In response, the DEA has been holding wildly successful prescription drug take-back days, which return to Alameda County Saturday date.
The Alameda County DA’s office will participate in the nationwide event Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the:
Alameda County Family Justice Center, 470 27th Street, Oakland, CA 94612
And the Hayward Hall of Justice, 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, CA 94544
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“Prescription drug abuse is a significant public safety and public health concern,” the DA’s office states. “Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from the home medicine cabinet of family and friends.”
“Safe disposal of both over-the-counter and prescription medication is crucial to prevent the misuse of these substances, and to end the harmful, environmental impacts of disposing of them in landfill or through our water system. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous event, or for those who have accumulated unwanted medication, to safely dispose of the drugs.”
This is the seventh national drug take-back day and Americans participating in the DEA’s six previous Take-Back Days turned in nearly 2.8 million pounds — nearly 1,409 tons — of prescription drugs.
