Shelburne police haul in hundreds of pounds of medications

Drug Take-Back Day in Vermont was Sept. 26. The day provided residents a safe way to clean out their medicine cabinets by removing potential hazards of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications from their homes and taking them to a drop-off site. It proved the most successful Take-Back Day in the event’s five year history.

About 5,800 pounds of prescription drugs were collected statewide. This represented the largest haul in the history of similar efforts in the state. Vermont’s Drug Take-Back Day was part of a nationwide effort led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in partnership with local and state law enforcement to ensure the safe disposal of unwanted, unneeded or expired prescription drugs.

Chief James Warden said that Shelburne took the top spot in Chittenden County with 331.4 pounds of medications being collected. This included contributions from residents of both Shelburne and the neighboring Charlotte. In second and third places for the county were Winooski and Burlington. The overall total for Chittenden County was 1855.8 pounds.

Warden said that part of the town’s success in taking back drugs could be attributed to the fact that the Shelburne Police Department accepts medications throughout the year. He said that the service is important in helping residents safely dispose of medications that could otherwise end up in the hands of children or be the targets of theft.