Clallam County, Sequim Police Dept. offer drug take-back services
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, October 25, 2023
From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Port Angeles Police Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Port Angeles Healthy Youth Coalition will provide the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
Bring pills for disposal to the Clallam County Courthouse at 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles. Vaping pens and cartridges will also be accepted (remove batteries); however, sites cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps — only pills or patches.
Sequim Police Department also hosts a drop-off from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 in the Sequim Civic Center, 152 W. Cedar St.
The services are free and anonymous, no questions asked. Simply drive through in front of the incident command motorhome near the courthouse in the main parking lot.
Also, independently though Med-Project LLC, individuals can drop off their unwanted drugs and medications during the rest of the year at Med-Project kiosks at the Sequim Police Department or at the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office in the Clallam County Courthouse, during regular business hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays). Get more information about Med-Project at med-project.org or 844-MED-PROJECT.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Event organizers note that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.
“Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs,” county officials said.
Get more information about how to properly dispose of prescription drugs at fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines.
This October’s event will be the DEA’s 25th nationwide event since it began 13 years ago. Last spring, Americans turned in a total of 663,725 pounds of prescription drugs at 4,955 collection sites, county officials said.
