Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Police barracks across the Green Mountain State now have the capability to accept unused and unwanted prescription medication from members of the public year-round. This expansion of secure drop box locations to the lobbies of state police barracks across the state will give Vermonters a convenient and safe way to remove these “most dangerous leftovers” from their homes. The service is made possible through a new agreement with the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, which administers the prescription drug take-back program statewide. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which spearheads the semi-annual National Drug Take Back Day initiative, then will safely destroy these drugs.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Thomas D. Anderson; Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD; Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux; the DEA and others unveiled the new initiative during a news conference Monday at the Vermont State Police barracks in Williston.
The Vermont State Police is joining 10 sheriffs’ departments and 39 law-enforcement agencies throughout the state that accept prescription medication from the public for safe, secure disposal year-round. Six of the 10 VSP barracks already have been outfitted with drop boxes. Two more barracks are coming online shortly.
Public safety and health officials called the drop boxes a welcome addition to the array of opportunities for people to clean out their medicine cabinets. In addition to kiosks located at hospitals and pharmacies, the Health Department has introduced mail-back envelopes for safe and secure drug disposal. The successful semi-annual state and federal Prescription Drug Take Back Day partnership also will continue, with the next one scheduled for Oct. 27.
“This gives us another opportunity to get this poison out of Vermonters’ medicine cabinets,” Public Safety Commissioner Anderson said, noting that state police worked closely with the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department and the DEA to ensure adequate security and safety protocols are in place at all barracks where prescription drug drop boxes are located.
Vermont State Police Director Col. Matthew T. Birmingham and Sheriff Marcoux signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding to administer the program earlier this year.
“Having drop boxes at state police barracks is another way to make it easier and safer for Vermonters to dispose of these potentially dangerous leftover medications,” Sheriff Marcoux said. “Adding the Vermont State Police to the list of law-enforcement agencies with year-round drop boxes shows strong solidarity with other departments and leadership from Commissioner Anderson.”
Health Commissioner Mark Levine said one of the keys to prevention is taking unused drugs out of the equation.
“We know that many people who misused prescription pain relievers first got them from a friend’s or relative’s medicine cabinet. Drug disposal innovations are important because, while not everyone has the time or ability to get to a drop-off location, almost everyone has medications they no longer need,” Dr. Levine said. “Vermont’s financial and strategic commitment to take on substance-use disorders includes doing everything we can to help stop addiction from starting – and ensure Vermonters who struggle with the challenges of addiction receive treatment and succeed in their recovery.”
Since the statewide program began in August 2017, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department has collected more than 12,000 pounds of unwanted, unused prescription medication, including some 4,400 pounds so far in 2018.
The Health Department maintains an online database of prescription drug take-back locations, including hours of operation, what type of medication is accepted and other specifications for individual sites. The database is available at this link: http://bit.ly/VTrxTakeBack.
Vermont State Police barracks with drop boxes now available to the public during regular business hours are: Derby, New Haven, Royalton, St. Albans, Westminster and Williston. Coming online soon are the barracks in Middlesex and St. Johnsbury.
A list of other law-enforcement agencies that have permanent drop boxes or accept medication for disposal is below:
Police Departments
Barre City Police Department Rx Drop Box
Barre Town Police Department Rx Drop Box
Bellows Falls and Rockingham Police Department Rx Drop Box
Bennington Police Station Rx Drop Box
Berlin Police Department Hand to staff
Brandon Police Department Rx Drop Box
Brattleboro Police Department Rx Drop Box
Brighton Police Department Rx Drop Box
Bristol Village Police Department Hand to Staff
Burlington Police Station Rx Drop Box
Castleton Police Department Rx Drop Box
Chester Police Department Rx Drop Box
Dover Police Department Rx Drop Box
Essex Police Department Rx Drop Box
Fair Haven Police Department Rx Drop Box
Hardwick Police Department Hand to Staff
Hartford Police Department Rx Drop Box
Hinesburg Police Station Hand to Staff
Ludlow Police Department Rx Drop Box
Lyndon Police Department Rx Drop Box
Middlebury Police Department Hand to Staff
Milton Police Department Rx Drop Box
Montpelier Police Department Rx Drop Box
Morristown Police Department Rx Drop Box
Newport Police Department Rx Drop Box
Northfield Police Department Rx Drop Box
Richmond Police Station Rx Drop Box
Royalton Police Department Rx Drop Box
Saint Albans Police Department Central Dispatch Rx Drop Box
Shelburne Police Department Rx Drop Box
South Burlington Police Station Rx Drop Box
Springfield Police Department Rx Drop Box
St Johnsbury Police Department Rx Drop Box
Swanton Village Police Department Rx Drop Box
Williston Police Department Rx Drop Box
Wilmington Police Department Rx Drop Box
Windsor Police Department Rx Drop Box
Winhall Police Department Rx Drop Box
Winooski Police Station Rx Drop Box
Sheriffs Department
Bennington County Sheriff’s Department Rx Drop Box
Caledonia County Sheriff Rx Drop Box
Essex County Sheriff's Department Rx Drop Box
Grand Isle County Sheriff's Department Hand to staff
Lamoille County Sheriff's Department Rx Drop Box
Orange County Sheriff's Department Rx Drop Box
Orleans County Vermont Sheriff's Department Rx Drop Box
Rutland County Sheriff's Office Rx Drop Box
Washington County Sheriff's Office Hand to staff
Windham County Sheriff's Department Rx Drop Box