2024-46 NEWS RELEASE – DEPT. OF THE AG PARTNERS WITH DEA AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ON NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

KA ʻOIHANAO KA LOIO KUHINA

JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR

ANNE LOPEZ

ATTORNEY GENERAL

News Release 2024-46

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PARTNERS WITH DEA AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ON NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 23, 2024

HONOLULU - The Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General is partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Hawaiʻi Department of Law Enforcement (DLE), Narcotics Enforcement Division; and local law enforcement agencies to participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

The department encourages everyone to help keep communities safe from the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs by participating in the National Prescription Take Back Initiative on:

Saturday, October 26, 2024

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Anyone with expired or unused medications is encouraged to bring them to the drive-thru collection sites located on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi islands.

The Take Back events are conducted twice a year and are free and anonymous services to the public - no questions asked. Tablets, capsules, liquids and other forms of medication will be accepted. Everything can be kept in its original container. No labels need to be removed. Vaping devices will also be accepted, but batteries must be removed. New or used syringes will not be accepted.

"The National Take Back Initiative is part of DEA's ongoing commitment to promote the health and safety of all Hawaiʻi residents," says DEA Honolulu District Assistant Special Agent in Charge Victor Vazquez. "The results of these semi-annual take back events are substantial with thousands of pounds of unneeded, potentially dangerous medications being collected and safely destroyed."

"The Department of Law Enforcement wants to encourage the public to turn in unused or unwanted medications at any of the community take back locations. By safely disposing of unused or unwanted medications, through the National take Back Initiative, we never have to worry about those medications being misused," said DLE Deputy Director Jared Redulla.

"This is a great opportunity to rid unused and expired medications from your home. Prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved by others to abuse. Let's work together to keep Hawaiʻi safe from prescription drugs entering our land and ocean," says Valerie Mariano, branch chief, Community and Crime Prevention Branch, Department of the Attorney General.

Medicine should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. The following are reasons why it is important to properly dispose of unwanted and unused medication.

• Proper disposal reduces the risk of prescription drugs entering the water supply or potentially harming aquatic life.
• Having unused or expired medicine in the home increases the risk of accidental

poisoning. Homes where children or the elderly live are especially vulnerable to

this danger.

• Children may mistake medicine for candy.
• Medicines may lose their effectiveness after the expiration date.

Go to http://ag.hawaii.govfor a list of the October 26 Take Back locations in Hawaiʻi. If unable to participate in the Take Back event, there are also several year-round medication drop-off sites in Hawaiʻi. To find your nearest location visit https://www.dea.gov/takebackday#resources, or www.hawaiiopioid.org.

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Media Contacts:

Dave Day
Special Assistant to the Attorney General
808-586-1284
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

Toni Schwartz
Public Information Officer
Hawai'i Department of the Attorney General
Office: 808-586-1252
Cell: 808-379-9249 Email: [email protected] Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

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