Drug Take Back Day yields 477 lbs. in Windsor, 2 tons statewide

On Oct. 22, 2016, Windsor County Sheriffs again participated in the DEA-led National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, resulting in 477.6 pounds of disposed medications collected for incineration. Windsor County was second in the state, behind Chittenden County, in returns collected.

Take-Back efforts began in 2012 as stand-alone disposal events occurring twice a year. Since then, many police departments across Windsor County, the state and the nation have installed permanent drug collection units.

As a result, the medications collected each Take-Back event have increased tremendously. The combined total of 477.6 pounds collected in October, the largest volume yet to be tallied in Windsor County, and 152 pounds greater than was collected a year ago, fall of 2015.

Windsor County Sheriff Michael Chamberlain has been instrumental in keeping the take back efforts going. Normally, the Sheriff’s Department collects the disposed of medication and brings them to DEA officials to weigh. They are then taken for incineration by the DEA. In April of 2015, the DEA briefly suspended community support for this event. Sheriff Chamberlain stepped in and arranged the collection and incineration of medications collected.

“We have committed to keep this effort going because it is a great service to the community. We want to encourage everyone to get rid of their medications, get it out of the house. The collection efforts help to keep dangerous medications out of the hands of people who struggle with addictions and commit crimes,” he said.

Windsor County’s Oct. 22 collection sites yielded the following quantities:

• Hartford Police, 112.4 pounds;
• Windsor Police, 100.2 pounds;
• Springfield Police, 83.8 pounds.
• Woodstock Police, 69 pounds;
• Royalton Police, 44.8 pounds;
• Chester Police, 30.4 pounds;
• Ludlow Police, 22 pounds;
• Norwich Police, 8.6 pounds;
• Rochester Constable’s Office, 3.6 pounds;
• and Weathersfield Transfer Station, 2.8 pounds;
• The state total for Vermont was 3,934.4 pounds
• All of New England, 68,958.31 pounds.

Law Enforcement officials, health-care professionals, and Windsor County Prevention Partners encourage adults to lock up their medications until they need them or to properly dispose of unused medications safely. For information on proper use, storage, and disposal of prescription medications, visit: www.twinstatesafemeds.org.

For more information on substance abuse prevention efforts, visit www.facebook.com/windsorcountypreventionpartners.