Drug Take Back Day locations in South Lake Tahoe and Zephyr Cove

South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County will be joining thousands of communities across the United States when they participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration “National Drug Take Back" on Saturday, April 28.

The South Lake Tahoe Drug Free Coalition is teaming up with the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at Earth Day on the 28th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., collecting unused prescription drugs. While keeping these drugs out of the hands of youth and others they weren't intended for is their main focus, the Earth Day focus is on the collection of unwanted, unused, or expired medications to help prevent them from entering into the water supply, an issue when they are just tossed down the drain or into the garbage. Earth Day is at Bijou Community Park.

In Douglas County, sheriff's deputies will be at the Safeway in Round Hill to collect the drugs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. They will also accept pet medication and liquids (no liquids accepted at Earth Day).

This special day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

46,000 people a year die from drug overdoses and more than half of those die from prescription opioid overdoses. Four out of five new users of heroin began with abusing prescription opioids.

While these days are meant to educate the community about disposal of prescription drugs and collect them on the spot, there are three locations on the South Shore that collect them on a daily basis.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO) and South Lake Tahoe Police Department(SLTPD) on Johnson Boulevard both have collection boxes in their lobbies. EDSO is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and SLTPD is open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Both locations are closed on holidays and weekends.

The box at SLTPD was purchased by the Drug Free Coalition, and 20-25 pounds of pills are disposed there each month. No questions are asked and checking in with staff is not required

The Douglas County Sheriff's Stateline substation also has a collection box as does the county's judicial building in Minden.

Other Douglas County Take Bake Day locations will operate from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at WalMart north, 3770 Hwy 395 in Carson City, Walgreens 1342 Hwy 395, Gardnerville, DCSO Ranchos substation 1281 Kimmerling, Gardnerville and the East Fork Fire and Paramedic station #4, 1476 Albite Road, Topaz Ranch Estates.