In a nationwide effort organized by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, residents of Windham County can safely and legally dispose of their prescription drugs on Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The National Take-Back Day provides an opportunity for people to dispose of “expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications for destruction,” according to a press release from the DEA's Office of Diversion Control.
“These drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal use and an unacceptable risk to public health and safety,” the DEA writes.
People can anonymously dispose of prescription and over-the-counter tablets and capsules at no cost.
Also, “illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative,” the DEA notes.
The program does not accept intravenous solutions, injectables and needles.
The Brattleboro Police Department will accept the drugs at its headquarters in the Municipal Building at 230 Main St.
The Windham County Sheriff's Department will participate at its office (11 Jail St., Newfane) and in other locations throughout the county: Hotel Pharmacy, 20 Elliot St., Brattleboro; West Dover Fire Department, 253 Route 100, West Dover; and the Bellows Falls Police Department, 170 Rockingham St., Bellows Falls.
According to Robin Rieske, certified prevention consultant for the state Department of Public Health, unused drugs pose a risk of given illegally to others without a doctor's supervision, putting their health at risk, or otherwise being abused.
Abuse of such pharmaceuticals is on the rise both in Vermont and nationally, she added.
People should never flush prescription drugs down a toilet, as that can contaminate water supplies, she said.
“You can also safely mix old prescription drugs with kitty litter,” Rieske said, “but not everyone has a cat.”