SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- This year, the Drug Enforcement Administration is adding vaping products to the list of what they’ll accept on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
The agency will be accepting prescriptions and vaping products on October 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
According to the agency, nearly 10 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs in 2018.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there have been 33 deaths in 24 states and nearly 1,500 lung injuries from vaping in 2019.
The agency is treating the events like an outbreak, saying the best advice is to avoid using all forms of E-Cigarettes.
The DEA decided to add vaping products to their drug take back event to make sure they're safely removed.
"If people throw them away, if people dump them down the toilet, if people store them in a drawer, they're still not safe," says DEA Special Agent in Charge Colin Roane." "We're going to permanently get rid of them by collecting them and disposing them."
The DEA will accept any kind of cartridges or vaping devices, as long as they don't have lithium-ion powered batteries.
Check out the list below of locations you can drop off prescription drugs and vaping products throughout San Diego County:
- Naval Medical Center San Diego (Balboa) - Active and retired military and staff only
- San Diego Police Department Central Division
- Naval Base San Diego Navy Exchange on 32nd Street - Active and retired military and staff only
- San Diego District Attorney’s Office - Hall of Justice
- Coronado Police Department
- San Diego Police Department Southeastern Division
- Marine Corps Recruit Depot
- San Diego Sheriff’s Department Lemon Grove station
- San Diego Police Department Western Division
- San Diego Probation Juvenile Hall
- San Diego Police Department Eastern Division
- Mesa College Campus Police Substation
- La Mesa Police Department
- San Diego Sheriff’s Department Imperial Beach station
- Chula Vista Public Works Center
- El Cajon Police Department
- Kaiser Permanente Otay Mesa Pharmacy
- MCAS Miramar Exchange - Active and retired military and staff only
- San Diego Police Department Northern Division
- Lakeside Sheriff’s Department
- Sheriff’s Poway Patrol Station
- San Diego Police Department Northwestern Division
- Alpine Sheriff’s Station
- Scripps Encinitas Hospital
- Escondido Police Station
- San Diego Sheriff’s Office San Marcos
- Carlsbad Police Station
- San Diego Sheriff’s Office Vista
- Tri-City Medical Center
- Sheriff’s Fallbroo Patrol Station
- MCB Camp Pendleton - Active and retired military and staff only
Click here for more locations.
