In support of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 13th National Prescription Drug Take- Back Initiative event, the Sheriff’s Office will be opening our patrol stations on Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., to collect expired and unused medication.

Starting with a pilot program at our Thousand Oaks Police Station over a decade ago, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has been providing the community a convenient and safe way to dispose of medications.  Additionally, we are one of the first agencies in the state to actively collect controlled substances. Since that time, the Sheriff’s Office has collected 38,097 pounds of medications.

The goal is to keep these products out of the hands of children. Many household pharmaceuticals are sold and traded among teenagers, who often help themselves to medications in the home.

With your participation, we can stop this trend of abuse among the younger population and greatly impact the number of overdose deaths due to both prescription medication and illicit drug use.

The following items are accepted: prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, medication samples, pet medications, vitamins, medicated ointments/lotions, inhalers, and liquid medication in leak-proof containers.

The following items cannot be accepted: needles (sharps), illicit drugs, medical waste, or IV bags.

Sheriff’s locations participating in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative event are:

Fillmore Police Department: 524 Sespe Ave., Fillmore, Ca. Headquarters Station: 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, Ca.

Ojai Police Department: 402 S Ventura St., Ojai, Ca.

Camarillo Police Department: 3701 Las Posas Rd., Camarillo, Ca.

Thousand Oaks Police Department: 2101 E. Olsen Rd., Thousand Oaks, Ca. Moorpark Police Department:  610 Spring Rd., Moorpark, Ca.

Simi Valley Simi Valley Police Station at 3901 Alamo Street.

In addition to Saturday’s event, residents can dispose of their medications throughout the year during regular business hours at any of the stations in the county because every day is drug take back day.

For more information on prescription drug take-back and the Ventura County Rx and Heroin Workgroup, visit http://venturacountylimits.org/resources/article/BEE326/rx-and-heroin-abuse- ventura-county-responds.