IPSWICH — Chief Paul Nikas and Director of Public Health Director Colleen Fermon announce that the Ipswich Police Department, the Ipswich Public Health Department, and Ipswich Aware, in collaboration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and community partners, will hold an event to collect prescription drugs and used sharps.
The Police Department will take part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ipswich Middle-High School, 134 High St. The Public Health Department will hold a concurrent Sharps Collection Event. The agencies are partnering with One Stop Harm Reduction Center of Gloucester and Ipswich Aware.
Drug Take Back Day is a biannual, free, no-questions-asked event that gives the community the opportunity to aid in the fight against substance misuse disorder by disposing of potentially dangerous expired, unwanted, or unused prescription drugs.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2020 an estimated 9.3 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 5.1 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 6.2 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives.
Ipswich Police will be accepting and disposing of any unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications. Residents can drop off unwanted pills or patches, but not liquids or needles.
The Public Health Department is hosting a sharps collection due to the threat that used needles, finger sticks, autoinjectors, and syringes pose. If not disposed of safely, sharps can cause injury and spread infections, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV.
Also, One Stop Harm Reduction will distribute Narcan. NARCAN® Nasal Spray is a medicine used for the treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose emergency.
The Ipswich Police Department also will host a Touch a Truck event for residents and families. The Touch a Truck Event will include police, fire, and EMS vehicles that children can see up close, and learn more about them. The Ipswich Police Department also will provide a short K-9 demonstration for residents.
Residents who cannot attend the event are reminded that there is a permanent medication drop box in the police station lobby as well as in Town Hall, lower level. Residents should note that no liquids, needles, sharps or inhalers can be dropped off at the permanent medication drop boxes. Beverly Hospital and Addison Gilbert have sharps drop-off kiosks. Sharps can be dropped off at these locations free of charge. Be sure to call ahead for hours and restrictions.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs, about this month’s Take Back Day or for complete results from past Take Back Day events, visit: www.DEATakeBack.com.
For more information on Ipswich Aware, visit: https://www.ipswichaware.org.
For more information about One Stop Harm Reduction Center of Gloucester, visit: http://healthproject.org/one-stop-center.html
