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Prescription Drug Take Back Event in Santa Fe County April 26

Santa Fe, NM – April 22, 2014 - Get rid of unwanted, expired and unused medication. Empty your medicine cabinet on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at six collection sites in Santa Fe County at various locations from Pojoaque to Edgewood. Law Enforcement Officers will be manning the take back locations. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

In Edgewood officers will be collecting at the Smith’s grocery store, 2B State Rd 344, in Eldorado the Sheriff’s Department will be at the Agora Shopping Center, in Santa Fe, the City Police will be at the Albertson’s grocery store at De Vargas Center and the “old” Walmart on Cerrillos Road and Camino Consuelo, State Police will have a donation station at the Albertson’s on Zafarano Road, and the Sheriff’s Department will collect your unwanted medication at the fire station in Pojoaque.

“Prescription medication abuse is quickly becoming a very big problem in Santa Fe County. Most of these abused drugs come from family and friends. This is a great opportunity to safely remove these medications from the reach of potential abusers,” said Rachel O’Connor, Santa Fe Community Services Department Director.

Over the last year and a half more than 1,000 pounds of discarded medication has been collected during these bi-annual events. The nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back dates are coordinated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). All collected drugs are safely destroyed by the DEA.

This collection operation is a joint effort of the Santa Fe County Community Services Department, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Fe City Police, New Mexico State Police, Edgewood Police Department, Santa Fe County Fire Department and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

Contact: Peter Olson at 992-9844 or polson@santafecountynm.gov