Drug take back scheduled Sept. 29

NORWAY —  The Norway Police Department is accepting unwanted or unused prescription drugs on September 29 at the Norway Town Office on Danforth Street, according to Norway Investigator Jeffrey Campbell in a recent release. 

The Take Back will happen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous. 

Every year, the police department along with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) gives the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and pill theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, unused or unwanted medications. 

The Norway Police Department reported that 552,161 pounds – 276 tons – of prescription drugs were turned in by Americans at over 5,600 DEA sites and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners in April 2012. 

Last November, Norway Police Chief Robert Federico reported that in April 2011, Americans turned in 376,593 pounds – 188 tons – of unwanted prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners. 

The department also reported that the last four Take Back events generated over 1.5 million pounds – nearly 775 tons – of unwanted drugs nationwide. 

According to Campbell, "this initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue." 

Just as it does every year, the police department would like to stress that rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high and medications that sit in home cabinets for a long period of time are highly susceptible to misuse or abuse.

In 2010, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act.

According to the Norway Police Department, this act amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow users to dispose of prescription drugs at entities authorized by the Attorney General.

Under this act, the Attorney General also authorizes, in certain instances, long-term care facilities to dispose of unused or unwanted prescriptions. 

"The DEA is drafting regulations to implement the Act, a process that can take as long as 24 months," Campbell states.

"Until new regulations are in place, local law agencies like the Norway Police Department and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months." 

At the September 29 event, participants will be asked to dispose of their medications by either keeping it in its original container or by removing the medication and placing it directly in the disposal. 

Police encourage those submitting medications in their original container to first remove any identifying information from the label. 

All solid or liquid pharmaceutical products in consumer containers may be accepted, according to the release. Liquid products, like cough syrup, must remain sealed in their container to prevent leakage. 

For more information, contact Campbell at 743-5303.