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Take Back
Romeo Blackmar, left, and Putnam Police Officer Jonathan Ley helped collect prescription drugs at the Drug Take Back. Linda Lemmon photo.
PUTNAM --- One-hundred fifty three pounds of prescription drugs were collected at the Drug Take Back Day Oct. 26.
Romeo Blackmar, program director for Substance Abuse Prevention, said 39 vehicles came through the drive-through drug drop-off. He called it "one of the largest take back days for Putnam in the last two years."
He added that the Putnam Police Department has averaged about 30 to 40 pounds every four to six weeks over the last several years in the drop box at the police station.
All drugs are brought to the Lisbon Incinerator for destruction
Since September of 2010-DEA has been doing Take Back days in April and October. This was the 19th time Putnam has had Take Back Day, Blackmar added.
He said: "From all reports of people turning in medications this time, we were told that many of these medications were up to 4 and 5 years old. Several people stated that they were cleaning out the drugs from recently passed family members who had been keeping them stored for years. I was surprised that we exceeded 100 pounds and filled 6 boxes of unused, expired and unwanted medications. I think people are becoming more aware of the dangers of keeping old medications around and want to do the right thing of getting them out of their homes and properly destroyed by law enforcement personnel. "
This was the second time the Hale YMCA Prevention Coalition co-sponsored Drug Take Back Day with the Putnam Police Department since taking over the established initiatives of Putnam PRIDE in February. He added the next Turn Back Day will be conducted the last Saturday in April 2020.
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