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'Prescription Drug Take Back Day' At Bay Area Police Stations

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)- San Francisco Police Department's Southern Station is just one of 5,000 sites across the nation where people can drop off unused and expired prescription drugs. Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, an effort between local law enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Anyone in the city can bring in prescription drugs to the Bryant Street Station, no questions asked, and deposit them for destruction.

KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:

San Francisco Sgt. Steven Smalley explained even drugs thrown in the trash can end up contaminating the environment.

Smalley said the program can prevent people from trying to poison themselves and keeps it out of the hands of people that shouldn't be taking the drugs.

A similar take back last year netted more than 242,000 pounds of prescription drugs.

A National Survey on drug use and health done in 2009, found more Americans abuse prescription drugs than cocaine, hallucinogens and heroin combined.

Everything collected on Saturday will be incinerated according to police.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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