CARIBOU, Maine — In collaboration with the Caribou Police Department, Cary Medical Center will have a prescription drug-take back table at their annual Health Fair on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center.
During the last national prescription drug take back day on April 28, the Caribou Police Department collected 563.2 pounds of medications.
In an effort to reduce access and abuse of prescription drug abuse, all 11 police departments in Aroostook County, the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office and Maine State Police Troop E in Bangor are available to receive and serve as prescription disposal sites all year long. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. They can take unused, expired or unwanted medicines every day, not just on drug take-back days.
According to the Maine Youth Health Integrated Survey, in 2017, 5.4 percent of Aroostook County high school students and 1.7 percent of middle school students reported using prescriptions drugs without a doctor’s prescription in the past 30 days.
Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, 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. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines— both flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—pose potential safety and health hazards.
Those who have any unused or unwanted prescription drugs may bring them to Cary’s Health Fair on Sept. 29.
If taking the drugs to a police station, for proper disposal, call ahead as smaller departments may not be staffed 24/7.
