Residents Encouraged to Participate in National Drug Take Back Day

National Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24. Residents are able to dispose of their unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications throughout the year at two permanently installed drop boxes across across from the Records Division window at KPD headquarters located at 3990 Ka‘ana Street in Līhu‘e.

Drug Take Back Day is part of a national initiative coordinated by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (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 from improper storage and disposal.

“Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, we will not be holding a face-to-face Drug Take Back event this year. That said, we want to thank the DEA for its partnership with KPD in hosting this important annual initiative in the past,” said Investigative Services Bureau Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce. “This year, in honor of National Drug Take Back Day, we want to encourage the public to continue to dispose of their unused prescription medication in the drop boxes that are available 24/7. We simply ask that medication please be left in its prescription bottle and then placed in a clear Ziplock bag upon disposal.”

Tablets, capsules, liquids and other forms of medication – prescription or nonprescription – including patches, are accepted. New or used needles and syringes are not accepted.
This service is free and anonymous, and no questions will be asked.

“The proper and timely disposal of prescription drugs can help decrease abuse of these drugs by teenagers or other unauthorized users,” said Assistant Chief Ponce. “It also mitigates the environmental damage that occurs due to incorrect disposal by private citizens. So, we thank the public for their kōkua in helping to address these issues by using our drop boxes at their convenience.”

For more information on the National Drug Take Back Initiative, please visit the DEA’s website at www.dea.gov or contact Assistant Chief Ponce at 808-241-1681.