IPSWICH — Police Chief Paul Nikas and Director of Public Health Colleen Fermon announce that the Ipswich Police Department, Ipswich Public Health Department, and Ipswich Aware, in collaboration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and community partners, will hold an event to collect prescription drugs and used sharps.
National Drug Take Back Day is a biannual, free, no-questions-asked event that gives the community the opportunity to aid in the fight against substance use disorder by disposing of potentially dangerous expired, unwanted or unused prescription drugs. As part of the event, residents can drop off unwanted pills or patches, but not liquids, needles or sharps.
The Police Department will host the Take Back event on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Ipswich Middle-High School, 134 High St.
The Public Health Department will hold a concurrent sharps collection event. The agencies are partnering with One Stop Harm Reduction Center of Gloucester and Ipswich Aware.
The Public Health Department is hosting a sharps collection due to the threat that used needles, finger sticks, autoinjectors, and syringes pose. If not disposed of safely, sharps can cause injury and spread infections, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV.
Also, One Stop Harm Reduction will distribute Narcan. Narcan Nasal Spray is a medicine used for the treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose.
Ipswich Police also will host a Touch a Truck event for residents and families. Children can learn more about police, fire, and EMS vehicles and see them up close.
Residents who cannot attend the event are reminded that there is a permanent medication drop box in the police station lobby. A medication drop box and permanent sharps disposal kiosk are located in Town Hall, lower level.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs, about this month’s Take Back Day, or for complete results from past Take Back Day events, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
For more information on Ipswich Aware, visit www.ipswichaware.org.
For more information about One Stop Harm Reduction Center of Gloucester, visit https://healthproject.org/one-stop.html.
