The Guilford Police Department, in cooperation with The “It's Worth It” initiative and The Connection, Inc., recently installed a pharmaceutical collection “drop box” in the lobby of the Guilford Police Department at 400 Church Street in Guilford. The purpose of the box and the initiative is to help area residents safely dispose of unused and unneeded medications at any time. The safe disposal of these medications will keep them out of the hands of those who might misuse them and will help to safeguard the water supply which can be contaminated when unwanted drugs are flushed or dumped into sinks.

The Guilford Police have participated in annual Drug Take Back events sponsored by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration for several years. The local response and success of those events clearly demonstrated the need for a more permanent and accessible option.

However, unlike DEA Drug Take Back events that happen once or twice a year, the “drop box” at the Guilford Police Department will make safe disposal of medicines a simple, ongoing option for local residents. The discarded medications will be processed as abandoned property and safely incinerated. This project enables the destruction of medication that can be easily misused or diverted. In addition, it is more cost effective and less labor intensive for the Guilford Police than the annual drug take backs events previously held.

Dana Pellicio of the Guilford “IT’S WORTH IT” initiative states “the new pharmaceutical collection box will help us to create a healthier environment for Guilford youth and will assist in our effort to prevent youth substance abuse in Guilford by reducing their access to prescription drugs.” “IT’S WORTH IT to have a drug drop box in our community to keep our kids safe!” she added.

According to Simone Powell, Prevention Program Manager for the Connection Inc. “This is an extremely important issue for the safety of our youth in Guilford. Many other communities across the state are also calling for unused medications to be collected through similar drug take-back programs. The Connection Inc. is glad to be a part of this collaboration”.

The secure drop box was installed at the Guilford Police Department and available for residents to walk in and discard their unneeded medications in the secure drop box at anytime.

There are restrictions as to what may be dropped, including; chemotherapy medications, syringes, liquids and ointments, inhalers, aerosol, thermometers, and medications from businesses or clinics. Residents will not be asked questions or need to complete any type of forms to dispose of their personal medications.

For more information about the project, please contact the Guilford Police Department at 203-453-8061.