Get rid of your old prescription drugs this weekend in SLO. Here’s how

If you have unused prescription drugs sitting around at home, you can drop them off at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo on Saturday during Rx Drug Take-Back Day.

The event is a collaboration among the county, SLO Opioid Safety Coalition, SLO Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the DEA and Aegis Treatment Centers.

The event aims to reduce the community’s risk of prescription drug misuse and accidental overdose, according to a news release. Disposing of unused medication means there is less risk that the drugs will be accidentally ingested or misused, the release said.

According to Ashley Jones, drug-free communities coordinator for the San Luis Obispo County Health Agency, the county took back more than 400 pounds of medication in four hours during last year’s event.

Participants can also get a free flu shot at the event, courtesy of the County Public Health Department.

The event will be held in Sierra Vista’s carpool parking lot on Casa Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can bring in old prescriptions, expired over-the-counter medicines and even old inhalers. People with questions can call 805-781-4278.

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Get rid of your old prescription drugs this weekend in SLO. Here’s how."