NOPD OFFERS RESIDENTS A SAFE PLACE TO DISPOSE OF UNWANTED MEDICATIONS
NEW ORLEANS - The
New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) is encouraging area residents to clean out
their medicine cabinets and dispose of unwanted prescription medications.
Residents can bring their unused, expired, or unwanted drugs
to the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) Drug
Drop-Off box located in the NOPD’s Central Evidence & Property (CE&P)
facility. The facility accepts unwanted prescription drugs any time, day or
night. CE&P is located at 1116 Magnolia at Earhart Boulevard across from
Home Depot. Parking is available in the lot behind the building.
“This is a safe solution to disposing of unused and unneeded
prescription drugs and keeping them out of the hands of people who could
potentially harm themselves or others,” said NOPD Superintendent Michael
Harrison. “Proper disposal of medicines helps reduce harm of accidental
exposure or intentional misuse after they are no longer needed.”
Citizens do not have to give their name, answer any
questions, or fill out any paperwork. The purpose of the box is to provide a
place for citizens to drop off prescription pharmaceuticals for safe
disposal. The box will only accept
prescription medications – no illegal narcotics, inhalers, syringes or liquid
medications will be accepted. All
deposits to the Drug Drop-off Box are anonymous and can be dropped off 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
The effort to safely dispose of prescription medications
helps address a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the
2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.5 million Americans abused
controlled prescription drugs, and the majority of abused prescription drugs
are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
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