Maui Police Take Back Unused, Expired Meds

By Wendy Osher

Maui Now file image.

The Maui Police Department will participate in the National Take Back Initiative to collect unused or expired medication for safe and anonymous disposal.  The event will be held Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot fronting the Wailuku Police Station.

The collaborative effort is aimed at removing potentially dangerous controlled substances and prescription drugs from homes. This includes expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical substances, and other medications for proper disposal.

Lt. Wayne Ibarra with the Maui Police Department Community Relations section said the drugs are a potential source of of supply for illegal use, and pose an unacceptable risk to public health and safety.

The collection is made possible through a collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Narcotics Enforcement Division (NED), Attorney General’s Office, Hawaii HIDTA, Hawaii National Guard, Maui Police Department, and DARE.  It is part of the National Take-Back Day program.

The program in Hawaii focuses on the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse nationwide.

Items can be dropped off anonymously.  Accepted items include prescription and over the counter solid dosage medications of tablets, capsules patches, and liquids.

The event will not accept intra-venous solutions, injectables, or needles.  Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of the initiative.