PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The most recent prescription drug take-back day held in Presque Isle was a success, city officials said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration holds two national prescription drug take-back days each year, one in April and one in October, facilitated by community law enforcement.
The program provides a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs and also educates that public about the potential for abuse of prescription medicines, Kimberly Smith, Presque Isle resource development and public information officer, said.
The most recent collection date was held on April 24, with 12 boxes or 476 pounds collected in Presque Isle, Smith said.
Across the nation, 4,425 law enforcement agencies participated in all 50 states with a total of 5,060 collection sites. Maine had 116 participating law enforcement agencies with 142 collection sites. In total, a total of 420 tons (839,543 pounds) were collected in the U.S., with 27,340 pounds collected in Maine, Smith said.
Maine is second in the nation — trailing Texas — for the amount of prescription medications collected over the past 20 collections.
For more information on this program or other Presque Isle Police Department programs, please contact the PIPD at pipd@presqueisleme.us, or visit the department’s website at www.presqueislepd.com or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PresqueislePD .
