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Romeo Blackmar of PRIDE, left, and Douglas Cutler, Putnam Town Administrator, at Drug Take Back Day collection. Photo courtesy of Marcy Dawley.

 

 

By Linda Lemmon

Town Crier Editor

PUTNAM --- Since the Prescription Drug Take Back Days began in 2010, the town of Putnam has pulled in more than 2,200 pounds of medications.

The event, held twice a year, hosts a drive-through drug dropoff at Riverview Marketplace on Kennedy Drive. 

Romeo Blackmar, coordinator for the Partnership to Reduce the Influence of Drugs for Everyone (PRIDE), said the lock box at the Putnam Police Station has collected more than 2,000 pounds of dropped-off drugs also.

One-hundred fifteen pounds were collected April 29 and 91 vehicles went through the drive-through, Blackmar said. Blackmar said last weekend's collection exceeded the Take Back numbers from September by about 15 pounds.

Last weekend's drive through was the 12th time the collection of meds has been done at the farmers marketplace.

He added that the amount collected at Take Back Day has almost been cut in half since citizens started using the Police Lock Box. "Normally we were averaging 200 pounds on Take Back Days," he said.

The total amount of drugs collected on Take Back Days since September 2010 is 2,235.