North Reading Police Taking Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs on Sept. 27 at Police Station

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003

North Reading Police Announce Participation in Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Sept. 27, at Police Station

NORTH READING — Police Chief Michael P. Murphy announces that, on September 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the North Reading Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its ninth opportunity in four years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring your pills and medications for disposal to North Reading Police Department at 150 Park Street. The service is free and anonymous — no questions asked.

In April, Americans turned in 390 tons (over 780,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly thousands of DEA and municipal police sites. When those results are combined with what was collected in the eight previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 4.1 million pounds — more than 2,100 tons — of pills.

“These take-back programs are a vital public safety and public health service,” Chief Murphy said. “Every prescription pill bottle that goes unused is another one that can be stolen, abused, and misused. We are grateful to all members of the public who take advantage of these services to dispose of their unwanted drugs.”

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential environmental, safety, and health hazards.

If you are unable to attend this take back event, the North Reading Police Department accepts your unused and unwanted prescription drugs, 24 hours a day 365 days a year, in two drug disposal kiosks located in the police station lobby.

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