The Mattapoisett Police Department participated in their first National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 28. The event was organized so that local residents could turn in old and unused prescription medications and syringes. The program has been running across the US for the last four years.
According to the police, the program is aimed at serving two purposes. First it helps reduce the risk of prescription drugs being consumed inappropriately—either by accident or through illegal sale. Prescription medication abuse is becoming far more prevalent than common street drugs.
Also, it reduces the risk of prescription drugs entering the water, potentially harming aquatic life or getting into a human water supply.
“We have coordinated with the Drug Enforcement Agency. After we collect everything, we’ll hand it over to them and they will properly dispose of the drugs,” said Capt. Anthony Days of the Mattapoisett Police.
The program ran from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and thirty minutes in, the police had collected scores of medications and filled half a large box. Even though this was the first of its kind in Mattapoisett, Capt. Days was expecting a lot of folks to turn out to offer their old prescriptions.
“Hopefully, people will want to participate more. This will probably be an annual event. Depending on how today goes, we may opt to offer another on in October,” Days said.
By Eric Tripoli
