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Drug Take Back nets 205 lbs.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The town’s National Prescription Drug Take Back event, held twice a year, pulled in one of its largest collections April 24 at the Riverview Marketplace Pavilion.
Putnam Police Department Captain Justin Lussier said 205 pounds of prescription drugs were collected. The drug take back usually averages 100 to 150 pounds, “so this was one of our largest collections.”
Romeo Blackmar, Substance Abuse Program director, part of the Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center, said each take back event usually pulls in more than 100 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs.
Blackmar said the town’s first take back was in October of 2010. The following years, the event went to twice a year, April and October (In 2020 it was held only once, in October, because of COVID-19).
In addition, according to Lussier, a take back box was placed in the Putnam Police Department’s lobby in 2013. It’s open all year long and Lussier said it has to be emptied out at least once a week.
Lussier said since the box was set up at the police station some 6,500 pounds total have been collected in the box. That averages about 925 per year. The figure does not include any 2021 collections, he added.
Lussier said the drop box is available 24/7 in the foyer at the Putnam Police Department. Prescriptions and illicit drugs can be dropped in the box.
The weighed and sealed boxes from Substance Abuse Program Director, PRIDE 2019 are burned at the Lisbon incinerator, Lussier said.
The next national Prescription Drug Take Back event will be held in October, date to be determined.
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