Police join national effort to collect unwanted drugs
By Kathy McCarty
Dozens of law enforcement agencies across in the state, including several here in Aroostook County, will be taking part in the national Take-Back Day collection of unwanted medications on Saturday, Sept. 25.
Earlier this year, members of the Presque Isle Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Aroostook County Action Program, ASAP Coalition, Healthy Aroostook and Power of Prevention gathered to sort through the various medications that had been returned to the PIPD by area residents over the past six months.
“The prescription drug return program, which has been in place for the last several years, was created to remove unused medications from circulation to prevent misuse, theft, abuse and possible detrimental effects to the environment and water supply if flushed,” said Clare Desrosiers, MSW, Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention.
Desrosiers said costs associated with properly disposing of returned medications are high and have been funded in the past by various agencies.
“The most recent event in August was funded by ASAP Coalition, whose efforts to prevent prescription drug abuse in the County include advertising campaigns, school mailers for parents, provision of training for Aroostook physicians, support of prescription return events and its Diversion Alert Program for health care providers,” Desrosiers said.
According to Desrosiers, many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.
“Rates of prescription drug abuse in the nation, state and even Aroostook County are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet,” she said.
In addition, Desrosiers said many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away.
“Both are potential safety and health hazards,” said Desrosiers.
Prescription drug return events have received a tremendous response in the County.
“Hundreds of pounds of unused medications have been properly disposed of over the past several years,” Desrosiers said.
While Aroostook residents can return unwanted and unused medications to their local police department at any time during the year, this Saturday has been designated a collection day for all departments.
“On Sept. 25, all local police stations in the County will be participating in a National Take-Back Initiative sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and facilitated by many local organizations,” she said.
Carol Bell, of Healthy Aroostook, has been busy spreading the word, putting up posters and distributing information.
“On Sept. 25, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and local law enforcement agencies will be hosting National Take-Back Day events from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. at the following locations: Presque Isle Police Department, 43 North Street; Caribou Police Department, 25 High Street; and Houlton Police Department, 97 Military Street; among others,” said Bell.
No liquids or needles will be accepted, only medications in solid form, such as pills and tablets.
“This one-day effort is intended to bring national focus to the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse,” said Bell.
Stephen McCausland, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety, called this, “The state’s largest collection of expired prescription drugs.”
“There are now more than 100 collection points in Maine that will accept unwanted drugs on Saturday,” said McCausland.
Pills will be separated from their original packaging on site, with containers put into regular trash or recycled according to their labels. Medications will be placed in a box, the box weighed and then picked up by DEA agents for transport to an undisclosed site for incineration.
“With this National Prescription Drug Take-Back Campaign, we are aggressively reaching out to individuals to encourage them to rid their households of unused prescription drugs that pose a safety hazard and can contribute to prescription drug abuse,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler. “The Department of Justice is committed to doing everything we can to make our communities safer, and this initiative represents a new front in our efforts.”
The PIPD has been involved in several similar collections over the past few years.
“We’re one of several law enforcement agencies taking part in the County,” said Chief Naldo Gagnon, PIPD. “The PIPD takes any and all unwanted medication 24/7, 365 days a year.”
Other local agencies taking part include the Ashland and Fort Fairfield Police departments.
“We have been accepting drugs to the Take-Back program. I recently took four huge boxes over to the PIPD to be destroyed. Its (collection) has been going very well,” said Sgt. Shawn Newell, FFPD.
A list of the Maine collection points and details of the program are listed on the Maine Department of Public Safety’s website: www.maine.gov/dps. Additional information can be obtained at your local police department. The program protects the identity of persons dropping off unused or unwanted drugs.