HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-04-27 KPD NR KPD collects 165 pounds of unused medication at annual Drug Take Back DayDEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR
MICHAEL A. DAHILIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR
News Release
For Immediate Release: April 27, 2021
COUNTY OF KAUA‘I
KAUA‘I POLICE DEPARTMENT
TODD G. RAYBUCK, CHIEF
(808) 241-1600
KPD collects 165 pounds of unused medication at annual Drug Take Back Day
LĪHU‘E – This weekend’s National Drug Take Back Day initiative, hosted by the Kaua‘i Police
Department (KPD) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), resulted in a total of 16 boxes filled
with unused, unwanted and expired medications, adding up to a combined weight of 165 pounds. The
boxes will now be sent to Oʿahu for proper disposal.
The event was held on Saturday when Kauaʿi police, along with a representative from the DEA,
collected tablets, capsules, liquids, and other forms of prescription and nonprescription medication,
from members of the community.
“We want to thank the public for their participation. We were pleasantly surprised by the
number of people who turned up to drop off their unused medication,” said Investigative Services
Bureau Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce. “We also want to thank the DEA for its partnership with KPD in
holding this important annual initiative.”
When prescription drugs are disposed of properly and in a timely fashion, it can help decrease
abuse of these drugs by teenagers or other unauthorized users. It also mitigates the environmental
damage that occurs due to improper disposal by private citizens.
The public can continue to help address these issues by using KPD headquarters’ drop boxes in
Līhuʿe at their convenience. Simply leave the medication in its prescription bottle and place the bottle
into a clear Ziplock bag upon disposal in one of the green bins by the Records Section Window. The
service is free and anonymous, and no questions will be asked.
Drug Take Back Day is part of a national initiative coordinated by the DEA, which focuses on
providing a safe, convenient, and responsible method of disposing medications, while also educating the
community about the potential for abuse and consequences of improper storage and disposal.
For more information on the National Drug Take Back initiative, please visit the DEA’s website at
www.dea.gov, or contact KPD Investigative Services Bureau Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce at 241-1681.
A total of 16 boxes weighing 165 pounds were collected on Saturday at KPD headquarters for the
annual Drug Take Back Day initiative.
###