CT State Police Offer Year-Round Drop Off Boxes for Unused Medications

From Connecticut State Police:

The Connecticut State Police is partnering with CVS Pharmacy and the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids to collect unused prescription medications and prevent potential drug abuse.

All of the 11 State Police Barracks across the state now have a permanent drug collection drop box, made possible through a donation by CVS Pharmacy to install drop boxes at each of the barracks. Residents can deposit unwanted, unused or expired medication, including controlled substances anytime, no questions asked.

“Connecticut State Troopers' number one priority is keeping our families safe. Beginning today, there is a Drug Drop Box available to the public at each of our 11 troop locations. Now, everyone can safely dispose of unwanted medications at secure locations throughout the state, any time, any day. We are proud to be a proactive partner in the fight against the heroin epidemic, and encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Dr. Dora B. Schriro, Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

The drop boxes are intended to reduce the amount of unneeded medicine in the homes of all Connecticut residents, while decreasing the rate of prescription drug abuse. According to a 2014 Partnership for Drug-Free Kids study, more than 70 percent of teenagers said it was easy to obtain prescription drugs from medicine cabinets in their homes.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy stated, “Addiction is a disease and we should treat it as just that. I would encourage everyone to dispose of their unused prescriptions, and the 11 new boxes at State Police Troops across the state will allow for safe and secure disposal with no questions asked. We must do all that we can to tackle what has become a nationwide problem, and we appreciate the work of all of our partners in this effort."

"CVS Pharmacy is dedicated to collaborating with organizations like The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and local law enforcement to prevent the abuse of unwanted and expired medication,” said Tom Davis, Vice President, and Professional Services at CVS Health. “The installment of drug collection receptacles is part of our ongoing commitment to battle prescription drug abuse in the U.S. and to help people in the communities we serve on their path to better health.”

Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan Harris added, “Proper drug disposal is an important piece of the puzzle to improve the lives of families suffering from opioid addiction. The addition of 11 drug collection boxes, raises to 71 the number of drug collection boxes available at law enforcement offices throughout the state. These 11 drop boxes serve as an addition to community take back days and proper disposal on your own at home. Here at DCP, we want to make sure we have as many opportunities for residents to dispose of drugs as safely as possible, and we’re thankful that our partnership with the State Police will grow those opportunities.”

Permanent State Police drop box locations, available year-round, 24 hours a day, are as follows:

Troop A-Southbury - 90 Lakeside Road, Southbury

Troop B-North Canaan - 463B Ashley Falls Road, North Canaan

Troop C-Tolland - 1320 Tolland Stage Road, Tolland

Troop D-Danielson - 55 Wescott Road, Danielson

Troop E-Montville - I-395 North (between exits 6 & 9), Montville

Troop F-Westbrook - 315 Spencer Plains Road, Westbrook

Troop G-Bridgeport - 149 Prospect Street, Bridgeport

Troop H-Hartford - 100R Washington Street, Hartford

Troop I-Bethany - 631 Amity Road, Bethany

Troop K-Colchester - 15A Old Hartford Road, Colchester

Troop L-Litchfield - 452A Bantam Road, Litchfield