HomeMy WebLinkAbout____20211025 KPD NR KPD collects 200 pounds of unused medication at Drug Take Back DayDEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR
MICHAEL A. DAHILIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR
News Release
For Immediate Release: October 25, 2021
COUNTY OF KAUA‘I
KAUA‘I POLICE DEPARTMENT
TODD G. RAYBUCK, CHIEF
(808) 241-1600
KPD collects 200 pounds of unused medication at Drug Take Back Day
LĪHU‘E – This weekend’s National Drug Take Back Day, hosted by the Kaua‘i Police Department
(KPD) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), resulted in a total of 15 boxes filled with unused,
unwanted and expired medications, adding up to a combined weight of 200 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.
“Thank you again to our community for your remarkable participation. We were just as
surprised as we were in April ̶ when we collected 165 pounds ̶ by the number of people who turned up
to drop off their unused medication. I think it’s especially imperative that people be diligent with their
expired medications due to the rise in opioid usage and ease with which family members and loved ones
can get a hold of prescription drugs within their households,” said Investigative Services Bureau
Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce. “I also want to thank Life’s Choices Kauaʿi, the DEA, as well as KPD
personnel, who assisted with this weekend’s important event.”
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.
Expired medication should not be discarded in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Improperly
disposed of prescriptions drugs have the potential to enter the water supply and also harm aquatic life.
Expired medication can also contribute to misuse or abuse of the drug. A majority of people who
misused a prescription medication obtained it from a family member or friend, according to a report by
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
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 15 boxes weighing 200 pounds were collected on Saturday at KPD headquarters for the Drug
Take Back Initiative.
Two green drop boxes for expired medication are located at KPD headquarters in Līhuʿe.
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