Tempe police will again partner
with the Arizona Drug Enforcement
Administration and other Valley law
enforcement agencies for a drug “take
back” event at the Tempe South police
substation.
Residents will be able to safely
dispose of unused, unneeded and
expired prescription and over-thecounter
medications. The event will be
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct.
26. The substation is at 8201 S. Hardy
Drive, Tempe.
Police note that they are unable to
safely accept glass, syringes, injectables
or needles. There is no need to remove
labels with personal information; items
will be incinerated.
How the program works: Bring
unused and expired prescription
and over-the-counter medications in
their original containers. Disposal is
anonymous.
Medications will be placed by you
into specially provided boxes. Tempe
police will seal and deliver the disposed
medications for destruction by the
DEA.
Each year, Tempe partners with
the DEA and the community for a safe,
convenient disposal service. During
the event, thousands of Arizonans
turn in more than 6,000 pounds of
prescription drugs at sites across the
state, operated by dozens of local law
enforcement partners.
“Thanks to the efforts of the
Arizona DEA, law enforcement across
the state and our community, each
year thousands of pounds of unused
prescription drugs don’t end up on the
streets,” said Chief Tom Ryff.
Many abused prescription drugs
are obtained from home medicine
cabinets. One of the goals of the joint
program is to minimize the likelihood
of accidental poisonings and overdoses
due to the inappropriate use of
prescription drugs.
Additionally, disposing of
medications down the drain is a health
hazard that adversely impacts the local
water supply and the environment.
Note: The event is designed to be of
help to individuals and families, not
as a means to safely handle reverse
shipments from pharmaceutical and
business distributors.
For more information and other
local disposal sites across the Valley
and state visit www.deadiversion.usdoj.
gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.
Tempe police, DEA collaborate to help clean out medicine cabinets
