Saturday, April 27, is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) National Drug Take Back Day. The Windham County Prevention Partnership (WCPP) says it is using this opportunity to raise awareness about proper storage and disposal of prescription medications.
"This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue," said the WCPP in a news release. "Medicines that are left in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug misuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Additionally, simply throwing unused medicines in the trash or flushing them down the toilet risks environmental harm, theft, and poses a public health hazard."
Drug Take Back Day gives communities the opportunity to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft by ridding their homes of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, only pills or patches.
"It is so important to come together as a community and do our part to help raise awareness and take this issue head on. We are so grateful for the support we've seen for this event," said Elisha Underwood, the executive director of West River Valley Thrives in Townshend.
Collect your expired or unused Rx pills or patches in their original bottle or place them in a disposable bag. Be sure to remove or cover your personal information. Anonymously drop your pills and patches in an Rx drug drop box near you.
Medications for disposal can be dropped off at any of the following locations:
• Messenger Valley Pharmacy - 170 Grafton Rd., Townshend
• Brattleboro Police Department - 62 Black Mountain Rd.
• Brattleboro Memorial Hospital - 17 Belmont Ave.
• Bellows Falls Police Department - 170 Rockingham St.
• Wilmington Police Department - 2 East Main St.
• Dover Police Department - 245 VT Route 100.
All locations listed have permanent drop boxes located in the agency's lobby, and boxes are available for pill disposal during open lobby hours, no questions asked. Note that these locations may have fluctuating hours; call ahead to confirm hours.
Those unable to make it to a physical drop box who would like a postage-paid bag to dispose of unwanted prescriptions via mail in a medication-safe envelope can request an envelope from the Vermont Department of Health at bit.ly/762-rx.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.