North Reading Police are Taking Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs

On Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the North Reading Police Department, North Youth Substance Use Prevention Coalition, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the O’Leary Senior Center at 157 Park Street. Sites cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, only pills or patches. Unwanted vape devices (with removed ion batteries) and vape cartages will also be accepted. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

This October event is DEA’s 19th nationwide event since its inception 10 years ago.

Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 883,000 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 6,300 sites operated by the DEA and almost 5,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. The DEA, along with its law enforcement partners, has now collected nearly 6,350 tons of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications since the inception of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative in 2010. In North Reading, over 1,000 pounds of unwanted pills were dropped off at the NRPD Rx Drop Box in just two years alone.

To keep everyone safe, collection sites will follow local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations. Residents are required to wear masks and remain in their vehicles. Signs will direct cars to enter one way, drop off their vapes and unused medications directly into bins, and exit as directed under the guidance of NRPD officers.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

In addition to the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are many other ways to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs every day. The NRPD Rx Drop Box is available 24/7 in the NRPD lobby. In addition, residents who are concerned about leaving their houses, have another option. The Community Impact Team is offering free drug deactivation bags. These bags contain chemicals to render drugs inactive and are suitable for pills, patches, and liquid medications. The sealable bags can then be disposed of safely in the trash. Deactivation bags are also able to be delivered to all Meals on Wheels clients in partnership with the O’Leary Senior Center, are available at the Food Pantry, and can be delivered to home mailboxes.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 24 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com. To receive a free drug deactivation bag, contact Amy Luckiewicz at coalition@northreadingma.gov or call (978) 357-5054.