Most of us have prescription medications in our homes and while many prescription drugs are safe when used as prescribed, when used incorrectly prescription drugs can be as dangerous and addictive as illegal drugs. In fact, Maine has a significant problem with prescription drug misuse and abuse.
On Saturday, Oct. 29, all local police departments in Aroostook County will be participating in a National Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to bring attention to the issue of prescription drug abuse.
“We highly recommend that citizens should be cleaning out their medicine cabinets,” stated Caribou Police Chief Michael Gahagan, “get the drug dealer out of the house.”
This year on National Drug Take Back Day, local residents will have the opportunity to return any and all unused prescription drugs to the Caribou Police Department on Oct. 29. “Individuals will have the opportunity to drop off their unwanted prescription drugs right at the police station,” said Chief Gahagan. “They will be able to just drive through the parking lot, hand the items to an officer or myself (which will then be disposed of in a suitable container) without getting out of their vehicle,” he added. In the case of inclement weather, persons will step inside the police station to return the prescription drugs.
Chief Gahagan also reminds residents of the SHARPS receptacle that is also available (at any time) for disposing of used medical sharps. “The SHARPS disposal program and the Drug Take Back Day have proven to be very successful programs,” stated Gahagan, “and at least in this area citizens have proven that they are very comfortable coming into the station.”
“These programs have also had a very positive effect on the environment,” Gahagan added, “individuals are no longer just dropping medical sharps into their trash (or storing them at home) nor are they flushing unused or expired prescription drugs down their toilets. Another of the biggest benefits is that people now are able to have some peace of mind, knowing that they don’t have these items laying around in their homes.”
In 2010, there were more deaths related to prescription drugs than to traffic accidents. According to the Maine Department of Public Safety, much of the increase in Maine’s 2010 crime rate was due to burglaries and robberies related to prescription drug misuse and abuse and the percentage of Mainers seeking treatment for prescription drug addiction is the highest in the nation.
While the reasons for these problems are complex, research shows that the home medicine cabinets of family and friends are the primary places where teens get the prescriptions they abuse. And it is not just teens. Anyone coming into a home can help themselves to medications that are not locked up. Break-ins and burglaries are often in the news and since most people don’t lock up their medications or monitor what they have, people who are addicted to medications or want drugs to sell know where to look.
In Limestone, prescription drugs can be dropped off at the Limestone Police Department where they have a medication disposal unit available for the town’s citizens.
Protect yourself and your community by locking up prescriptions, monitor prescriptions, and bring unwanted prescriptions to local police departments.
For more information, contact local police departments or Carol Bell of Healthy Aroostook at 768-3030 ext. 629.
