LIHU‘E — During the first two hours of collection, volunteers of the state’s prescription-drug take-back program had collected enough drugs to fill part of a trash bag, Saturday. The volunteers were making their first visit to Kaua‘i under the Hawai‘i
LIHU‘E — During the first two hours of collection, volunteers of the state’s prescription-drug take-back program had collected enough drugs to fill part of a trash bag, Saturday.
The volunteers were making their first visit to Kaua‘i under the Hawai‘i Drug Take-Back Program, which launched Sept. 25 and is a collaborative effort between the state Department of the Attorney General, the state Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and community partners.
According to the state’s website, the program is the first-ever Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back program, and people who have unused, unneeded, or expired prescription medications can drop them off at collection sites across the state.
Keith Kamita of the state Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division led the group collecting medications at the Longs Drug Stores location at Kukui Grove Center on Saturday.
“They said traffic at this store is usually light on Saturdays, but we still got quite a bit from people,” Kamita said. “We’re coming back on Nov. 13 and will be at the Longs in Kapa‘a on that trip.”
One of the volunteers working the processing desk located in the Kukui Grove store said when people bring in their unused medications, they go through and screen them for “controlled” or “uncontrolled” status, and record the findings before disposing of the drugs.
A customer who was depositing some medication said it was a good service to have instead of having it lying around the house.
The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked, the website states.
Tablets, capsules, and all other solid-dosage forms of medication will be accepted and incinerated according to federal and state environmental guidelines.
Intravenous solutions, injectables and syringes will not be accepted.
Drug-enforcement personnel on the county, state and federal level conclude that prescription drugs taken incorrectly or abused intentionally are responsible for more drug deaths than deaths from illegal drugs.
They also said that incorrect disposal of prescription drugs, such as flushing them down the toilet, can foul drinking-water systems.
Visit www.hawaii.gov/ag, or call 1-808-837-8470 for more information, including reasons why people should get rid of unused or expired medicine.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
