Expired and unused drugs are dangerous for keiki and the environment

HONOLULU (KHON2) — National Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, Oct. 28.

In Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General is partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Hawaiʻi Department of Public Safety’s Narcotics Enforcement Division and other local law enforcement agencies will be participating.

“The National Take Back Initiative provides a safe and convenient way to dispose of your unwanted and expired medications,” said Valerie Mariano, the Department of the Attorney General’s Chief of the Community & Crime Prevention Branch. “The majority of the take back locations will be organized as drive-thru locations.”

This is a time for anyone with expired or unused prescription medications to bring them to the designated locations free of charge.

“This partnership with DEA, the State Narcotics Enforcement Division, and other law enforcement agencies helps ensure that those living in their homes are kept safe from unintended poisoning and misuse of prescription drugs and keep unused medication out of Hawaiʻi’s ocean and water,” added Mariano.

The event is taking place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi island.

“The National Take Back Initiative is DEA’s commitment to the health and safety of all residents in Hawaiʻi,” said Victor Vazquez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Honolulu District Office. “I encourage everyone to remove any unused and expired medications from their homes for drop off at designated collection sites located throughout the state on October 28th.

You can click here and here for more information. This is not a syringe exchange event. You can click here for more information on that. But they will be accepting vaping devices (with batteries removed).

“The results of these take back events have been substantial with thousands of pounds of unneeded and potentially dangerous medications being collected and safely destroyed,” added Vazquez. “Please continue to help this effort by having your family and friends join in on these semi-annual take back events.”

It is important unused or expired medicine be properly disposed of when no longer needed since flushing things like this can seep into our water supplies and our oceans.

These are some things to consider when determining if you want to participate in the drug take back scheme:

• Medicines may lose their effectiveness after the expiration date.
• Improper use of prescription drugs can be as dangerous as illegal drug use.
• Having unused or expired medicine in your home increases the risk of accidental poisoning. Homes where children or the elderly live are especially vulnerable to this danger.
• People may mistake one type of medicine for another; or children may mistake medicine for candy.

You can click here for more information on Hawaiʻi’s opioid initiative. You also can click here for more information on take back day resources.

“We encourage the community to dispose of their unwanted and unused medications at this National Take Back Initiative,” said Jared Redulla, Administrator, Narcotics Enforcement Division, Department of Public Safety. “We can all do our part to keep Hawaiʻi safe from drug misuse, accidental poisonings, and overdoses.”