Two New Prescription Drug Drop Boxes for Hancock County
Hancock County—Healthy Acadia, in partnership with the Ellsworth and Mount Desert Police Departments, are pleased to announce the addition of two new prescription drug drop boxes for Hancock County, as part of their substance abuse prevention efforts.
The new prescription drug drop boxes have been placed in an accessible but secure location within the Ellsworth and Mount Desert Police Departments’ lobbies. The drop boxes will be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week at both of these locations. “We feel that the drop box program is an important service to the public and we are very happy to participate in the program,” stated Interim Police Chief Harold Page of the Ellsworth Police Department.
The two new drop boxes bring the total number of prescription drug drop boxes in Hancock County to six. The other drop boxes are hosted at the Bar Harbor, Bucksport, and Southwest Harbor Police Departments, as well as the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Police Chief James Willis of the Mount Desert Police Department stated, “I strongly believe that providing more opportunities to easily and safely dispose of prescription drugs will improve the health and safety of the town of Mount Desert and other Hancock County communities.”
Prescription drug misuse is the fastest growing substance abuse problem in the United States. Maine has consistently been one of the states with the highest rates of prescription drug abuse. In an effort to reduce prescription drug misuse and potential abuse, Maine has been proactively involved with initiatives to decrease prescription drug diversion activities. For example, Maine has developed a Statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program between prescribing providers and pharmacies, and the state also works with local partners to share information about safe prescription drug use and disposal. For more information about the prescription drug drop box program and other initiatives in Downeast Acadia aimed at preventing substance abuse and misuse, visit Healthy Acadia’s website: www.healthyacadia.org
