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| Prescription Drug Disposal Program |
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Proper disposal of prescription drugs has become a problem for every community in the United States. The number of Americans who abuse prescription drugs illegally now exceeds the number of Americans who abuse cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, and heroin combined. Studies have shown that prescription drug abusers sometimes get the pills from medicine cabinets in homes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "The age-old advice of flushing pharmaceuticals down the toilet is now considered to be the least desirable of all alternatives." Once flushed down the drain or toilet, expired or unwanted medications become a source of pollution in wastewater and they generally can not be removed by treatment plants or septic systems. Instead, these pollutants are able to pass through the treatment centers and enter rivers, streams, lakes and groundwater systems. In addition to the environmental effects of improper medication disposal, there is the public concern for these drugs getting into the hands of kids. The development of a prescription drug disposal program would allow for a safer and more environmental solution for disposing of them.
A prescription drug program benefits the community by providing a safe location to drop off unused and expired medications with a high level of anonymity. It also rids medicine cabinets of unused and expired medications that could fall into the wrong hands. Finally, it reduces the environmental concerns of these drugs entering the water systems. For these reasons, the Danvers Police Department has partnered with Danvers Cares, Danvers TRIAD and Beverly Hospital to develop a method for people to get rid of these medications.
The Danvers Police Department will provide a safe location in the lobby of the police station for Danvers residents to properly dispose of their unwanted prescription medications. The police department partnered with the United States post office who donated a used mailbox to be used as a secure safe for these items. The Danvers Public Works division re-painted and changed the locking devise on the mailbox. The box will be properly identified as a prescription drug disposal and be secured in the lobby of the police department. The secure mail box will be available 24 hours a day and seven days a week for citizens to drop off items. We will provide secure plastic bags for people to place the drugs in. Liquid medications will be accepted if they are in a leak proof container and after they are secured in the plastic bags. No needles will be accepted in this container. The house officer will assist if needed but we anticipate that residents will not need any assistance.
The Community Services Commander will over see the program and will be responsible for the proper disposal when the mail box is full. It will be checked weekly to insure that it does not over flow. Once the mailbox is full, the Community Services Commander and an Officer from the Community Services division will remove the contents of the box. All items will be inventoried and documented on the state drug destruction form and then transported by those Officers to the drug destruction facility for proper destruction. A copy of the forms will be kept in the Community Services office and one given to the department evidence supervisor. It will be the responsibility of the Community Services commander to send all forms to the state yearly as required by law.
This program will begin on January 1, 2009 and public education will begin in December of 2008. The education component will involve the Danvers Cares, TRIAD and Beverly hospital all being involved in releasing information. We feel this program will provide great value to our community in our efforts to keep the residents of Danvers safe.
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