ATG PRESS RELEASE 2022-35 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Posted on Oct 21, 2022 in Latest Department News, Newsroom
HONOLULU – The Department of the Attorney General and Department of Public Safety’s Narcotics Enforcement Division (NED), in partnership with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other law enforcement agencies encourage the public to turn in their unused or expired medication for safe, anonymous disposal during its National Take-Back Initiative (NTBI) program.
Collection points are located on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island and are open:
Saturday, October 29, 2022
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
This is the second and last take back for 2022. The April event resulted in the collection and disposal of 4,000 pounds of unused and expired prescriptions for the DEA Hawaii District which includes Guam. A total of 60,000 pounds has been collected since 2010.
Most NTBI locations will be conducted as drive-thrus for the ease and convenience of the public. You don’t need to remove labels or take pills out of containers. Simply toss in a disposable bag and drop them off at the drive-thru locations. This service is free and anonymous – no questions asked. All forms of medication will be accepted.
Please do not include any syringes, they will not be accepted. Vaping devices with batteries removed will be accepted.
“The National Take Back Initiative began as a way for potentially dangerous medications to be properly disposed of in order to help keep our ohana as well as our environment safe. Please join DEA and our partners in Hawaii on October 29th in ridding our communities of any unused, unneeded, or expired medications you may have,” said Victor Vazquez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Honolulu District Office.
“Safe storage and disposal are ways we can prevent misuse and accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Nationally, two-thirds of teens who misused pain relievers say they got them from family and friends, including their home’s medicine cabinets,” said Hawai‘i Attorney General Holly T. Shikada. “Let’s work together to keep our young people and community safe.”
“Proper disposal of unwanted medications in the home reduces the possibility that those medications will cause harm to others or the environment. The Department of Public Safety joins with the DEA and its other partners in urging everyone to turn in their unwanted medications at the different take back locations on October 29, 2022,” said Narcotics Enforcement Division, Administrator Jared Redulla.
Unused or expired medicine should be properly disposed of when no longer needed for
which it was prescribed.
- 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.
Medicine should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Proper
disposal reduces the risk of prescription drugs entering the human water supply or
potentially harming aquatic life. Additional information can be found at dea.gov.
For a list of collection sites, visit ag.hawaii.gov or takebackday.dea.gov.
If you are unable to participate in the National Take Back Initiative, a list of drug take
back drop box locations is available at hawaiiopioid.org
For more information, contact:
Gary H. Yamashiroya
Special Assistant to the Attorney General
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov
Twitter: @ATGHIgov
Valerie Mariano, Branch Chief
Community and Crime Prevention Branch
Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division
(808) 586-1444
Email: [email protected]
