The Seal Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will take back unwanted prescription drugs medication on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Seal Beach Police Department headquarters, 911 Seal Beach Blvd.
This will be the public’s eighth opportunity in four years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
Bring your medications for disposal to the Police Department. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April 2013, Americans turned in 371 tons (over 742,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at over 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and its thousands of state and local law enforcement partners.
In its six previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in over 2.8 million pounds—more than 1,400 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.
Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.
Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
The DEA is in the process of approving new regulations that implement the Safe and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” (that is, a patient or pet or their family member or owner) of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the attorney general to accept them.
The act also allows the attorney general to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances.
Crime Log Compiled by Charles M. Kelly
IN SEAL?BEACH
Monday, April 14
Disturbance, Noise—6:16 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller complained about loud machines and a loud truck. Police found a leaf blower operator. The operator apparently agreed to stop.
IN ROSSMOOR
Monday, April 14
Burglary Report—2:32 p.m.—Rossmoor Way—This was apparently a residential burglary.
Burglary Report—4:07 p.m.—Foster Drive.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—8:03 p.m.—Ruth Elaine Drive—A deputy searched for a reportedly drunk man who was seen limping/stumbling around before passing out on the grass.
Tuesday, April 15
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—11:11 a.m.—Los Alamitos Boulevard and Hedwig Drive—A deputy searched for a man, who the caller described as appearing to be homeless, in the company of a 5-year-old boy who appeared taken-care-of. The caller did not think the boy was the man’s child because of the differences in their appearances and because the man was asking people at the gas station for a ride.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—2:16 p.m.—Rossmoor Way—The caller received a call from a neighbor who said there was a Ford truck parked in the caller’s driveway, but no one was seen in the vicinity of the truck. The caller was in Pismo Beach and offered to have the neighbor call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department with the truck’s plate number.
Disturbance—11:52 p.m.— Montecito Drive—A disturbance, possibly a physical fight, involving a man and a woman. The man, wearing dark clothing, was seen running toward the parking area while being chased by a naked woman. The caller said there was blood on the ground. The Seal Beach Police Department was en route to the seen. The caller spoke with the involved parties. It turned out the woman was bleeding. She was seen stumbling and staggering around the alley near the parking garage. She jumped into the Orange County Fire Authority truck.
Wednesday, April 16
Stolen Vehicle—8:29 a.m.—Los Alamitos Boulevard and Hedwig Drive—The caller reported that his stolen car was seen the previous night around midnight.
Thursday, April 17
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—5:30 a.m.—Martha Ann Drive and Piedmont Avenue—A deputy performed a patrol check for a man who was seen messing around under the hood and in the trunk of a vehicle. The caller thought the man and the vehicle were unknown to the area and suspicious.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—5:45 p.m.—Copa De Oro Drive—The caller said a large box had been sitting for a couple of days on the front porch of a corner house and the caller did not want the package to be stolen.
Friday, April 18
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—11:05 p.m.—Yellowtail Drive.
Saturday, April 19
Prowler—11:36 p.m.— Foster Drive.
Sunday, April 20
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—9:42 p.m.—Copa De Oro Drive.
IN BELMONT SHORE
Thursday, April 17
Property Crime—3:40 a.m.—Pomona Avenue—Property was reported defaced.
Friday, April 18
Traffic—2:11 a.m.—Lavern and Second Street—A driver was reportedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Breaking and Entering—3:40 p.m.—Nieto Avenue—A residence was reportedly burglarized.
Breaking and Entering—4:22 p.m.—E. First Street— A residence was reportedly burglarized.
Ted Apodaca of the News-Enterprise and Jeff Miller of the Belmont Shore Residents Association contributed to this article.
