HOULTON, Maine — Houlton police will hold a Drug Takeback Day on Saturday, April 24, where it expects to receive some of the highest amounts of unwanted or unused prescription medication in the state.
The event, held in conjunction with Adopt-a-Block of Aroostook, collects medications from residents from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in order to prevent them from potentially being misused or abused. Drop-offs are anonymous and free of charge to the public. In addition to medications, there will also be a “Sharps Kiosk” for the depositing of sharps and needles.
“The purpose is to protect our community and environment from misuse and contamination,” Houlton Police Chief Tim Deluca said. “The event will be COVID compliant. We ask all who participate to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.”
Drug Takeback events are held twice a year in April and October, and are sponsored by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. Last year, police departments in Maine in total collected about 40,000 pounds of medication, more than what is collected in the state of Florida, which has a population 20 times larger than Maine.
Last year, Houlton ranked 18th of all police departments in Maine with the total number of drugs collected, at 619 pounds. Caribou, also located in Aroostook, ranked second with 1,345 pounds. The top ranked police department for drug deposits was Augusta in Kennebec County, with 1,492 pounds.
In addition to police departments, county sheriffs offices in the state also take part in Drug Takeback events, with Cumberland and Penobscot Sheriff’s Department leading the way in the number of drugs collected, with 3,606 and 1,672 pounds, respectively.
