LIHU‘E — On Saturday, the Kaua‘i Police Department and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency hosted its National Drug Take Back Day, which resulted in a total of 15 boxes filled with unused, unwanted and expired medications, adding up to a combined weight of 200 pounds.
LIHU‘E — On Saturday, the Kaua‘i Police Department and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency hosted its National Drug Take Back Day, which resulted in a total of 15 boxes filled with unused, unwanted and expired medications, adding up to a combined weight of 200 pounds.
The boxes, which contained tablets, capsules, liquids and other forms of prescription and nonprescription medication from members of the community will now be sent to O‘ahu for proper disposal.
“We were just as surprised as we were in April — when we collected 165 pounds — by the number of people who turned up to drop off their unused medication,” KPD Investigative Services Bureau Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce said in a release. “I think it’s especially imperative that people be diligent with their expired medications due to the rise in opioid usage and ease with which family members and loved ones can get a hold of prescription drugs within their households.”
Life’s Choices Kaua‘i assisted KPD and the DEA with the event, Ponce said.
When prescription drugs are disposed of properly and in a timely fashion, it can help decrease abuse of these drugs by teenagers or other unauthorized users. It also mitigates the environmental damage that occurs due to improper disposal by private citizens.
Expired medication should not be discarded in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Improperly disposing of prescriptions drugs has the potential to enter the water supply and also harm aquatic life.
Expired medication can also contribute to misuse or abuse of the drug.
A majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained it from a family member or friend, according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The public can continue to help address these issues by using KPD headquarters’ drop boxes in Lihu‘e at their convenience. Simply leave the medication in its prescription bottle and place the bottle into a clear Ziplock bag upon disposal in one of the green bins by the Records Section Window. The service is free and anonymous, and no questions will be asked.
Drug Take Back Day is part of a national initiative coordinated by the DEA, which focuses on providing a safe, convenient, and responsible method of disposing medications, while also educating the community about the potential for abuse and consequences of improper storage and disposal.
For more information on the National Drug Take Back initiative, please visit the DEA’s website at www.dea.gov, or contact Ponce at 241-1681.
