LOS ANGELES – Opioid and prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic across the country in recent years.

Twice a year, in April and in October, the Drug Enforcement Agency collaborates with local organizations around the country to encourage people to clean out their medicine cabinets, and safely dispose of unused prescription drugs. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is happening Saturday, October 26, all over the country.

Pharmacist must first learn the science behind thousands of drugs and medication. Elina Nazaryan is getting her degree in pharmaceutical sciences at West Coast University, and she sees her future career as being much more than just a person behind the counter at your local drugstore filling your prescriptions.

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“We want to be able to help our community are my future patients. I want them to feel comfortable coming to the pharmacy and asking me questions about their medications and I'm able to counsel them,” said Nazaryan.

While she is learning about the safety and effectiveness of these medications, part of Nazaryan’s pharmaceutical training also requires learning about prescription drug misuse and abuse.

“It could be life or death for the patient” Nazaryan says.

A recent assessment of L.A. County community needs shows that 58 percent of teenagers between the ages 12 and 17, reported having easy access to prescription drugs in their homes.

Sandy Logan of the San Fernando Valley Partnership says, “That is a huge problem in our community, especially with the opiate crisis happening right now. Access to medication, especially amongst our youth is huge right now. So we want to get that medication out of the homes and dispose of them properly.”

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and health issue. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs in 2018. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from home medicine cabinets.

West Coast University and San Fernando Valley Partnership have created a unique program called Building Community Partnership for Change. The program is part of a collective effort to address the opioid crisis and misuse of prescription drugs.

The two groups have come together to make preparations for national prescription drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26. Pharmacy students, pharmacists, and community members will be on standby at the event. Anyone can pull up and drop off their medications without ever leaving the car. No questions asked.  

Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

There will be more than 100 locations across Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, and Orange Counties where people can drop off their medication. Collection sites will primarily be police departments, sheriff stations, hospitals, and drug stores.  They are also encouraging people to dispose of E-cigarette, vaping devices, and cartridges at Take Back Day locations.

More information on where you can go.