Vermonters urged to take advantage of 'Take-Back Day' to dispose of unused medications

Vermont Attorney General, Bill Sorrell, strongly urges parents to talk with their children about the dangers of abusing prescription and over-the-counter medicines. He also recommends that all members of the public safeguard and properly dispose of unused medications at the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National “Take-Back Day” on Saturday, September 29, 2012.

Prescription drug abuse is a major public health concern.

• One in six teenagers has used a prescription drug (when a doctor had not prescribed it for them) in order to get high or change their mood.
• Prescription medicines are now the most commonly abused drugs among 12 and 13 year olds.
• Two-thirds of teens who abuse pain relievers say they got them from family members or friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
• More Americans die from drug overdoses than in car crashes, and this increasing trend is driven by prescription painkiller overdoses.
• Opiate pain relievers are responsible for more overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.
• Emergency department visits involving misuse or abuse of pharmaceuticals have more than doubled between 2004 and 2010.

In addition, Americans are now being advised that their usual methods of disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—pose potential safety and health hazards.

“Take-Back Day” is designed to combat the twin problems of misuse and unsafe disposal of unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs. In partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Sheriff’s Departments and Police Departments throughout Vermont have set up the following collection sites where unused medications can be taken for safe disposal on Saturday, September 29, 2012. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

All sites will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Alburgh

Alburgh Rescue, US Route 2, Alburgh, VT 05440

Barre

Barre City Police Department, 15 Second St., Barre, VT 05641
Berlin Police Department/Kinney Drugs, 800 US RT 302-Berlin, Barre, VT 05641

Bellows Falls

Bellows Falls Police Department, 170 Rockingham St., Bellows Falls, VT 05101

Bennington

Bennington County Sheriff’s Department, 212 Lincoln St., Bennington, VT 05201

Brattleboro

Vermont State Police Barracks, 464 Marlboro Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301
Brattleboro Police Department, 230 Main St., Brattleboro, VT 05301

Burlington

Burlington Police Department, 1 North Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401

Chester

Chester Police Department, 556 Elm St., Chester, VT 05143

Derby

Vermont State Police Barracks, 35 Crawford Road, Derby, VT 05829

Essex Junction

Essex Police Department, 81 Main St., Essex Junction, VT 05452

Hyde Park

Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, 162 Commonwealth Ave., Hyde Park, VT 05655

Jeffersonville

G.W. Tatro Construction, 5195 Vermont Route 15, Jeffersonville, VT 05464

Ludlow

Ludlow Police Department, 19 West Hill Road, Ludlow, VT 05149

Manchester Center

Manchester Police Department, 6041 Main St., Manchester Center, VT 05255

Middlesex

Vermont State Police Field Station, 1080 RT 2, Middlesex, VT 05602

Milton

Kinney Drugs Pharmacy Parking Lot, 3 Centre Drive, Milton, VT 05468

Montpelier

Washington County Sheriff’s Department, 10 Elm St., Montpelier, VT 05602

Morrisville

120 Northgate Plaza, Morrisville, VT 05661

New Haven

Vermont State Police Barracks, 2490 Ethan Allen Highway, New Haven, VT 05472

Newfane

Windham County Sheriff’s Department, 11 Jail St., Newfane, VT 05345

Newport

Kinney Drugs, 58 Shattuck Hill Rd., Newport, VT 05855

North Hero

Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department, 3677 US Route 2, North Hero, VT 05474

Northfield

Northfield Police Department, 110 Wall St., Northfield, VT 05663

Putney

Putney Volunteer Fire Station, 14 Main St., Putney, VT 05346

Richmond

Richmond Police Department, Richmond Town Ctr. 285, Bridge St., Richmond, VT 05477

Rochester

Pierce Hall Community Center, 38 So. Main St., Rochester, VT 05767

Rutland

Diamond Run Mall, 46 Diamond Run Mall Place, Rutland, VT 05701

Shelburne

Shelburne Police Department, 47 Executive Drive, Shelburne, VT 05482

South Hero

South Hero Rescue, 329 US Route 2, South Hero, VT 05486

South Royalton

Bethel/Royalton Transfer Station, 122 Waterman Rd., South Royalton, VT 05068

Springfield

Springfield Police Department, 201 Clinton St., Springfield, VT 05156

St. Johnsbury

Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department, 1126 Main St., Suite 2, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819

Stowe

Stowe Police Department, 350 South Main St., Stowe, VT 05672

Waitsfield

Mad River Valley Ambulance, 1477 Main St., Waitsfield, VT 05673

Waterbury

Waterbury Police Department/Kinney Drugs, 80 South Main St., Waterbury, VT 05676

Weathersfield

Weathersfield Transfer Station, 5024 VT Route 106, Weathersfield, VT 05151

White River Junction

Hartford Police Department, 812 VA Cutoff Road, Suite 1, White River Junction, VT 05001

Williston

Shaw’s Supermarket Parking Lot, 71 Boxwood St., Williston, VT 05495
Vermont State Police Barracks, 2777 St. George Rd., Williston, VT 05495

Wilmington

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, Deerfield Valley Campus, 30 RT 100 South, Wilmington, VT 05363

Windsor

Windsor Police Department, 20 Union St., Windsor, VT 05089

Woodstock

Woodstock Police Department, 454 Woodstock Road, Woodstock, VT 05091

Source: Attorney General, September 27, 2012