Time To Clean Out The Medicine Cabinet: Andover Police Holding Drug Take Back Day Saturday

ANDOVER, MA -- So you never finished the course of antibiotics even though your doctor said to make sure you finish the prescription. Or after surgery you found you didn't need the painkillers you were given in the hospital. Like a lot of people you may have some unused prescriptions cluttering up your medicine cabinet but are unsure how to safely dispose of them.

After all, the old standby of flushing them down the toilet is now frowned upon; recent evidence shows that some of the drugs make it through sewage treatment processes and filter back into our drinking water. And throwing drugs in the trash may give someone with nefarious motives the score they were looking for on collection day.

Your best bet? Head to the West Elementary School Department at 58 Beacon Street on Saturday, October 28 between 10 am and 2 pm where Andover Police officer will be collecting unwanted drugs from Andover residents for safe disposal, free of charge.

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"We are glad to take part in this drug take-back effort, since it's an easy way for us to do our part as a community to keep these potentially harmful drugs from falling into the wrong hands," Andover Police Chief Patrick Keefe said in a statement. "I want to invite everyone to come to this event with their unneeded or unwanted prescriptions so that we can dispose of them properly."

Police will take pills and patches but cannot collect sharps, needles or liquids. Liquids may be disposed of with household trash, while sharps can be returned either to the public safety building or senior center. The department also keeps a drug disposal center in the police headquarters lobby for safe drug disposal at other times of the year.

The Drug Enforcement Agency sponsors the semi-annual event. On April 29, police departments across the country collected 450 tons of unwanted drugs at close to 5,550 collection points across the country. "Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. That's dangerous and often tragic,” said Acting DEA Administrator Robert W. Patterson. “That's why it was great to see thousands of folks from across the country clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in - safely and anonymously - a record amount of prescription drugs."

Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).