In an effort to reduce access to and abuse of prescription drug abuse, all 11 police departments in Aroostook County are available to receive and serve as prescription disposal sites all year long. This service is free and anonymous — no questions asked.
Anyone who has any unused or unwanted prescription drugs may bring them to their local police department for proper disposal. In smaller police departments, there may not be an officer in the building 24/7; residents are advised to call ahead before dropping off prescription medications.
According to the Maine Youth Health Integrated Survey, in 2013, 10.9 percent of students reported using prescriptions drugs without a doctor’s prescription in their lifetime, and 5 percent reported using in the past 30 days.
The 24/7 Prescription Drug Take-Back initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. 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—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
In addition to the 24/7 Prescription Drug Take-Back initiative, local police departments participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) National Prescription Drug Take-Back events. During the last take-back day, April 25, Maine police departments collected 11,920 pounds of medications; 2203.30 pounds of these medications were collected in Aroostook County. This was a 52 percent increase from the last collection on Sept. 25, 2014, when 7820 pounds were collected. Based on these figures, Maine is ranked number one per capita for total collection efforts.
The next national take-back event will be in the fall.
