Police Department Provides Box in Municipal Center to Dispose of Unwanted Medications
The Jefferson Hills
Police Department (JHPD) has taken possession of a “medicine drop-off box” that
has been installed in the main lobby of the Borough building, just outside the
police department. The medicine drop-off box was supplied through a partnership
with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, the Pennsylvania Commission
on Crime and Delinquency and the Pennsylvania District Attorneys’ Association that
provides grants to facilitate the installation of secure and permanent
prescription drug drop-off boxes installed throughout Pennsylvania.
The purpose
of the box is to allow households and residences to remove expired, unwanted,
or unused medicines from their homes to help reduce the chance that others may
accidentally take or intentionally misuse the unneeded medicine. Area residents
are encouraged to use the box, which is available to drop off medicines during
hours that the Borough Building is open to the public or via
the rear (2nd floor) entrance when the library is open for business.
The medicine drop-off box is a blue box that resembles a U.S. Postal mail
collection box; affixed to the box is a placard with instructions regarding
what is acceptable to be dropped off and what is not. Once collected, the
JHPD will facilitate the disposal of the collected medicines. “Commercial”
facilities such doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, veterinary
clinics, long-term care facilities and any other businesses are prohibited from
using the boxes. With Allegheny County having the second highest overdose rate
in the state, having these boxes throughout the County could help reduce the
amount of unused medications that can become accessible for potential misuse
and overdose situations.