Vape Pens Accepted In New Twist On 2019 Drug Take Back Day

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Every year on National Drug Take Back Day, people across the United States head to local police departments to dispose of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs. But this year, amid a national outbreak of vaping-related illnesses, drug disposal stations also will accept vape products.

The Drug Enforcement Agency, which hosts drug take-back day, announced recently it will take e-cigarettes, vape cartridges and vape pens — as long as any batteries have been removed.

As of mid-October, the Centers for Disease Control had counted 1,479 vaping-related lung illnesses across the country, and 33 deaths in 24 states. In Massachusetts as of Oct. 23, 46 people are said to have been sickened, although only 16 of those cases had been confirmed. A Hampshire County woman in her 60s who died on Oct. 7 was the state's first vaping-illness fatality.

Massachusetts has declared a public health emergency over the still-unexplained vaping illnesses, and Gov. Charlie Baker has banned the sale of vape products. A majority of the state's cases have been linked to vape products that wholly or partially contain THC, the psychoactive substance found in cannabis.

Baker's ban removes all nicotine and THC vape products from store shelves for four months. The scope of the ban is wide because health officials don't yet know what causes the illnesses.

"No one compound or ingredient has emerged as the cause of these illnesses to date; and it may be that there is more than one cause of this outbreak. Many different substances and product sources are still under investigation. The specific chemical exposure(s) causing lung injuries associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping, remains unknown at this time," the CDC says.

The DEA has been hosting drug take-back events for about nine years. The events aim to remove controlled substances like prescription opioids and amphetamines, but almost any legal drug will be accepted. The events are free and anonymous.

Here are drug take-back events happening Saturday in the Worcester and MetroWest areas. The events last 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• City of Framingham, 1 William H. Welch Way
• Wegman's Supermarket, 1245 Worcester St., Natick
• Natick Police Department, 20 East Central St., Natick
• Wayland Police Department, 30 Cochituate Road, Wayland
• Sudbury Police, 75 Hudson Road, Sudbury
• Marlborough Police, 355 Bolton Way, Marlborough
• Hopkinton Police, 74 Main St., Hopkinton
• Clark University — Higgins Center, 950 Main St., Worcester
• Milford Police — Milford Senior Center, 60 South Bow St., Milford