MAINE — Ahead of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, Oct. 27, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) announced the locations of the Maine collection sites.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
Aroostook County collection sites will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include the following.
Caribou: Caribou Police Department, 25 High St.
Fort Fairfield: Fort Fairfield Police Department, 18 Community Center Dr.
Fort Kent: Fort Kent Police Department, 416 West Main St.
Houlton: Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, 25 School St.; and Houlton Police Department, 97 Military St.
Limestone: Limestone Police Department, 93 Main St.
Madawaska: Madawaska Police Department, 428 Main St.
Presque Isle: Presque Isle Police Department, 43 North St. Suite 2.
Van Buren: Van Buren Police Department, 51 Main St.
Washburn: Washburn Police Department, 1287 Main St.
At the Take-Back Event on April 28, 2018, federal, state, and local government entities took back a record 949,046 pounds of unused, expired or unwanted drugs at more than 5,800 locations across the United States. Over the course of the program, nearly 475 tons of prescription drugs have been safely collected across the country, including more than 14 tons of unwanted medications in Maine alone.
“When unused prescription drugs collect in our homes, they can create unintended gateways to addiction, fueling the growing heroin and opioid crisis,” said Sens. Collins and King in a joint statement. “We are confident that Mainers will continue to lead efforts to stop the abuse of unused prescription drugs that pose a serious threat to our children, our homes, and our environment.”
