Got expired or unwanted prescriptions clogging up the medicine cabinet?

This Saturday Manteca Police, Ripon Police and Lathrop Police Services will be partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as part of a national prescription take back program intended to curb drug abuse. With the exception of hypodermic needles, any old or outdated over-the-counter or prescription medications will be accepted with no questions asked. Medical sharps will be accepted in Manteca only if delivered in a sealed bio-hazard sharps container or sturdy plastic container. 

Expired or unwanted prescriptions can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in:

*Manteca at the Manteca Police Department, 1001 W Center St.

*Ripon at the Ripon Police Department, 259 Wilma Ave.

*Lathrop at Lathrop City Hall, 390 Towne Centre Drive.

In all cases, there will be security at the collection site. Manteca, for example, is using reserve police officers.

While certain medications absolutely need to be disposed of almost immediately if they’re not going to be used – like patients in assisted living facilities that use potent analgesic patches because they can be deadly if the wrong person or animal comes across them – other medications can have environmental impacts if they end up in the water supply. 

Everything that will be collected will be destroyed in a safe and efficient manner.

The drugs collected during national take back day like the one being held in Lathrop, Ripon, and Manteca  are incinerated.

For additional information visit www.dea.gov