South Temperesidents were able to safely dispose of unused and expired prescription medications during a program conducted jointly by the Tempe Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Tempe police collected more than 100 pounds of medications Oct. 29 at the Tempe Police substation on Hardy Drive, later to be incinerated by the DEA.
“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for residents to safely dispose of their prescription and non-prescription medications, partly for medication abuse, as well as poison control,” Molly Enright, community affairs specialist for the Tempe Police Department, said.
“I believe there were over 50 law enforcement agencies across the state that have participated this year.”
Detective Mark Lucas, who was overseeing the event, said there is no safe way to dispose of the medications without having an outlet like this.
“The main thing people have said when they come in is they have nowhere else to take these drugs; they just don’t know what to do with them, so this provides a good service for people to have an outlet to be able to do this,” Lucas said.
“Drugstores won’t take them back, and hospitals can’t either.”
More than 45 residents dropped off bags containing expired medications, which were placed inside a box destined for a DEA incinerator.
Lucas said there really is no safe way of getting rid of the medications, and flushing them down the toilet adversely affects the local water supply, potentially ending up in the soil.
This is the third time the Tempe Police Department held a prescription drug take-back event, and hopes to do at least two each year, though that is ultimately decided by the DEA, Lucas said.
