When the town sent out a press release saying it was discontinuing the drug drop-off box “due to the space required to store the considerable quantities of dropped-off medication prior to destruction” that was a cover story, a cover story for the people who had misused the box.
People had been stuffing the box full to overflowing with medical supplies, used needles, liquids that leaked on to other medication and dissolved them and other problems. “It was like it was a commercial center,” Wake Forest Police Chief Jeff Leonard said this week.
Remember the directions for use of the box were that deposits should be pills in their original bottles with no needles, liquids or creams allowed. The box, which was provided by CVS Pharmacy after the police department applied for it, was intended for use by individuals, not someone tending several patients or cleaning out a medical office who did not want to use a commercial disposal service.
With all of the liquids, needles and other items stuffed in it, the box itself was a hazard for those who had to empty it. And the Wake Forest Police Department was running out of storage space for the hazardous materials.
The local CVS has discontinued its drug drop-off box as has Wake Forest Drug, and the local CVS did not want the box returned to them, telling the police department to dispose of it.
Leonard said he did not know how other police departments in Wake County have been faring with their drop-off boxes. He did say the Rolesville Police Department installed its box fairly recently.
There have been problems with the boxes at other places, and the Gazette will explore that next week.
8 Responses
They lied . Tell it like it is . They town is misleading about everything that happens . They don’t want any bad press !
Bus in some more suckers from sams club , get them drunk in front of kids on white street , and expand the tax base . Wonder if the people on powerhouse row will know they are breathing smoke from dead bodies at the crematorium ???
Read The Wake Weekly about the new Drug Disposal Kits and how to get them. I am sure next week the Gazette will have the follow up about the kits.
Having a pharmacist in the family and relatives who take various prescription drugs I know it’s important to dispose of these drugs properly unless you want them in your drinking water where they can harm your children, yourself, animals or marine life.
Outdated drugs left around your home also pose a hazard when in the wrong hands.
Never flush or pour drugs in the sewer/septic system.
I’m sorry that the Wake Forest PD’s offer was taken advantage of.
Throughout the year there are collection points offered throughout various counties.
https://apps.ncdoi.net/f?p=102:24:::NO:::
They offer designated hours for drop off. Read the specifics before you show up.
We’ve driven to other counties just to dispose of meds properly.
I am disappointed that the initial Town of Wake Forest press release mislead the media and the public. The next time give us a staight and honest response for the action taken by the town. No spin.
Going forward, how about incorporating a take back or drug drop for unused prescriptions into the document shredding event?
That is what they did in Smyrna Georgia and Johnson City Tennessee.
So what’s the stated solution? Don’t provide anywhere to drop this stuff so it ends up in the garbage or, worse still, our streets? What are our tax dollars going towards anyway?
It was never part of the Police Dept’s responsibility or job to provide a drop off box…they offered it as an extra service out of the kindness of their hearts because they care about our community and wanted to help people. Why make a comment that seems to be negative against the Police Dept when the “blame” belongs on those who took advantage of the Police Dept’s kindness and created an unsafe, unsanitary situation?
I’m simply asking for a solution. What’s yours?