The Bakersfield Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are hosting a National Prescription Drug Take Back event to prevent prescription medication abuse and theft by allowing the public to rid their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

“Today we are facing the worst drug crisis in American history, with one American dying of a drug overdose every nine minutes,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “An unprecedented crisis like this one demands an unprecedented response and that’s why President Trump has made this issue a priority for this administration.”

Last Spring, the DEA collected and destroyed close to one million pounds of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs, making it the most successful event in DEA history, according to a press release.

“National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a day for every American, in every community across the country, to come together and do his or her part to fight the opioid crisis – simply by disposing of unwanted prescription medications from their medicine cabinets,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson. “This event – our 15th – brings us together with local, state and federal partners to fight the abuse of prescription drugs that is fueling the nation’s opioid epidemic.”

BPD will have a collection site from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the lobby of the Police Department, located at 1601 Truxtun Avenue. An additional collection site will be located in the parking lot adjacent to 3501 Stockdale Highway.

The DEA and the Bakersfield Police Department cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.