Ensenada’s municipal government launched a temporary campaign on May 18 to collect expired medications and counterfeit health products from residents. The drive runs through May 29, giving households an 11-day window to safely dispose of old prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and suspect health products.
The campaign is a joint effort by the city’s Department of Municipal Medical Services, the Ecology and Environment Subdirectorate, and COEPRIS (Comisión Estatal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios), the state health regulator responsible for sanitary oversight. Collection points were announced through the municipal medical services department.
Why Safe Disposal Matters
The city’s campaign slogan tells residents: “Don’t store it, don’t throw it in the trash. Dispose of it safely.” Flushing or tossing medications in household garbage can contaminate water supplies and soil. Expired drugs also lose effectiveness over time, and keeping them in medicine cabinets creates a risk of accidental ingestion, particularly for children and elderly household members.
The campaign also accepts counterfeit health products. That focus carries extra weight in Ensenada, where authorities have cracked down hard on fake pharmaceuticals in recent years. In late 2023, the federal health regulator Cofepris shut down 31 pharmacies in the municipality during “Operation Albatros II” after raids uncovered medications suspected of being counterfeit or laced with fentanyl. Inspectors examined 83 of the roughly 300 pharmacies in Ensenada and seized 4,681 boxes of medicine for analysis. As of mid-2024, 11 of the closed pharmacies were still under investigation.
How To Participate
Residents can bring expired or unwanted medications to designated collection points organized by the Department of Municipal Medical Services. The campaign accepts prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and any health products of questionable origin. Specific drop-off locations were published through the department’s official channels.
The collection drive ends on May 29. Mexico does not have a permanent take-back program equivalent to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, making temporary municipal campaigns like this one an important opportunity for safe disposal.
This story was first reported by Ensenada.net.