Police Departments to sponsor drug take-back day with DEADate: 10/18/2011 Oct. 17, 2011
By Chris Maza
Reminder Assistant Editor
GREATER SPRINGFIELD — Local police departments are doing their part to ensure that unused prescription drugs are being properly disposed of this month.
The East Longmeadow and Hampden police departments are two of the agencies taking part in a drug take-back program in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Those who have unused prescription drugs and narcotics in pill form can bring them to the department for disposal with no questions asked.
“We will not take any type of liquid drugs or needles or syringes,” East Longmeadow Police Chief Douglas Mellis told Reminder Publications. “All drugs have to be pills, tablets, capsules and things of that nature.”
Disposing of unused drugs is an important safety measure, as recreational prescription drug use is on the rise, according to Mellis.
“We’re finding out more and more that kids are having drug parties,” he said. “Seniors especially should get drugs out of their bathrooms and their medicine cabinets before young people see an opportunity to take them.
“We obviously will have more problems if a child were to [overdose] on these medications,” he added.
Improper disposal of medication can also lead to ecological problems in local drinking water.
“[The government] especially doesn’t want to see medication getting into water sources,” Mellis said. “Studies recently have shown that while flushing the drugs gets them out of the home, down the road it can lead to issues with the ecology in the area.”
East Longmeadow residents can drop medication off at the front parking lot of the police station on Somers Road. From there, it will be taken to a local incinerator. For more information, contact the department’s non-emergency number at 525-5440.
Hampden residents may bring their drugs to the Hampden Senior Center. For more information regarding the Hampden collection, contact Officer Tarwin Seega at 566-2151 ext. 228 or tseega@hampdenpolice.com.
More information can also be found by visiting the DEA Office of Diversion Control’s website at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback.
Police Chief Jeff Farnsworth and Officer Seega were not available for comment as of press time.
|
