Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Successful

Halfway through “Prescription Drug Take-Back Day” held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 30, six 26-pound capacity boxes were nearly filled outside the Crystal Lake Police Department with unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs. 

The department partnered again with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to collect prescription and over-the counter drugs from those wishing to safely dispose of their unused medications. 

The routine is the same as last year’s effort, a first for both the DEA and the Crystal Lake Police Department. Anyone can drive to the temporary booth set up in front of the police department and anonymously drop off their drugs to police, who empty them into cardboard boxes provided by the DEA. At the end of the event, the DEA will pick them up or Crystal Lake Police will transport them to the State Police in Elgin for collection by the DEA. 

One motorist dropping off a bag of prescriptions told police his wife holds onto unused medications for opportunities like this to safely dispose of them rather than discarding them in the trash or down the drain.   

This is one of the reasons the program is offered, said Deputy Police Chief Eugene Lowery. 

“From an ecological standpoint, it prevents people from throwing them in the garbage and affecting our water resources,” he said. 

In addition, removing them from medicine cabinets reduces the risk of potential abuse. 

Prescription drug abuse in the U.S. is higher than street drug abuse including heroine, marijuana and cocaine combined, Lowery said. 

Lowery estimated last year’s collection exceeded 50 pounds. Hypodermic needles, illegal drugs and liquids are not accepted at drop off sites. 

Sgt. Thomas Kretschmer said this year drop offs had been steady throughout the morning with the heaviest traffic during the first hour. 

“We’ve already passed what we did last year,” he said at noon. “We had a much better turnout this time.” 

Kretschmer and Officer Daniel Porzezinski volunteered to man the site during their day off. They were joined by Barry Nelson of Cary, one of the department’s 15 volunteer policemen. 

“I was surprised at the volume of drugs dropped off,” Nelson said. 

Lowery said much of the event is a volunteer effort as there is no funding provided the department for personnel. 

There are plans to offer it again this fall due to the overwhelming success of last year’s event, Lowery said. 

At that time the DEA collected 121 tons of prescription drugs at nearly 4,100 sites, according to a DEA press release. This year more than 5,300 sites nationwide have participated. The DEA expects to collect more than last year by including long-term care facilities to participate in the events. 

Collection sites can be found through the DEA’s website at www.dea.gov and clicking on the “Got Drugs?” banner at the top of the page to get to a database providing locations by zip code, city and county.