Drug Take Back Day set for Saturday in 15 communities

NORTHAMPTON — Ten communities in Hampshire County and five in Franklin County are participating Saturday in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

People are encouraged to clean out medicine cabinets and drop off unneeded drugs — for humans or pets — in a collective effort to save lives by preventing misuse or accidental ingestion.

Take Back collections are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at police departments in Deerfield, Erving, Hadley, Leverett, Montague, Pelham, Southampton, South Hadley and Sunderland. Other drop-off sites are at Wildwood Elementary School, 71 Strong Ave., Amherst; the Town Common in Belchertown; Easthampton Public Safety Complex fire bays; Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School on Locust Street in Northampton; Williamsburg Hardware on Route 9 in Williamsburg; and the Highway Department at 64 Huntington Road in Worthington.

The Northwestern district attorney’s office is teaming up with the Hampshire and Franklin county sheriff’s offices, the county-based TRIAD initiatives, local police departments and the national Drug Enforcement Agency to offer the take-back event locally for the 23rd time.

“It’s an ongoing effort and the most basic form of harm reduction,” said Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan.

More than 65,500 pounds of drugs have been safely disposed of since 2011 during Take Back Days offered twice annually and through permanent drug collection boxes stationed at area police departments. These efforts rid the region of unneeded prescription and non-prescription drugs, keeping them out of water sources, landfills and preventing misuse.

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