Groveland Police Install Drug Collection Box
The Groveland Police Department installed its first drug drop off box at the Public Safety Station on Main Street this September. (Courtesy Photo Groveland Police Department)
GROVELAND — Chief Jeff Gillen is pleased to announce that the Groveland Police Department has installed a drug drop off box at its headquarters.
The box, located in the lobby of the public safety building at 181 Main St., provides 24-hour, no questions asked access for local residents to dispose of drugs, unneeded prescriptions and unused medication samples.
Liquids, needles, sharps or inhalers cannot be disposed of in the box, however.
The Groveland Police Department was able to install the box thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Unwanted Opioid and Benzodiazepine Product Stewardship Program, which is overseen by MED-Project. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has tasked MED-Project with overseeing the program, which facilitates and supports the safe disposal of drugs throughout the state.
“Having a drug drop off box makes it significantly more convenient for our residents to dispose of unwanted medications and drugs safely,” Chief Gillen said. “It’s incredibly important, as we continue to address the opioid crisis, that we all dispose of these substances appropriately, instead of storing them in a medicine cabinet at home.”
Easily accessible, unused prescriptions in homes are highly susceptible to misuse. Studies have shown that the majority of improperly diverted prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet. The drug disposal unit will help to reduce the amount of unneeded medicine in residents’ homes and decrease the potential for prescription drug misuse.
Residents are advised to avoid disposing of unused medications by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the garbage, as doing so carries potential safety and health risks.
Contact the Groveland Police Department at 978-521-1212 with any questions or concerns.
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