The Mattapoisett Police Department will be participating in a prescription drug disposal day. This event is part of a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, (DEA). It will be held Saturday, September 29 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The purpose of such programs is to allow for safe, legal and environmentally-friendly disposal of extra drugs that patients have not used.
This program serves two purposes. First, this program reduces 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. Widespread anecdotal and survey evidence indicates that a huge portion of illegal prescription drug use occurs when people raid friends’ and relatives’ medicine cabinets. Second, it reduces the risk of prescription drugs entering the water, potentially harming aquatic life or getting into a human water supply. If the household waste is incinerated, the drugs are far less likely to pose an environmental problem than if they go into the wastewater stream.
This program is being provided as a continuing proactive effort by the Mattapoisett Police Department to prevent drug abuse before it happens in our community. We encourage everyone to collect expired or useless prescription medications and bring them to the Mattapoisett Police Station at 64 County Road on Saturday, September 29.
For further information, please contact Captain Anthony M. Days of the Mattapoisett Police Department at 508-758-4141.