A coalition of law enforcement agencies, led by a drug enforcement task force, has launched a campaign to reduce the presence of unused prescription drugs in the territory. At a press briefing Wednesday, officials urged the public to safely dispose of expired or unneeded medications using designated drop boxes available at five locations across the Virgin Islands.
The introduction of the Prescription Drug Drop Box Initiative took place at the Aubrey C. Ottley Post Office on St. Thomas. James Doby from the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA) explained the way that derelict drugs would be collected through drop boxes stationed in five U.S. Post Office locations: Gallows Bay Post Office, St. Croix; Kingshill Post Office, St. Croix; Frenchtown Post Office, St. Thomas; Sugar Estate Post Office, St. Thomas and the Cruz Bay Post Office, St. John.
They were greeted by St. Thomas Postmaster David Stevens, who said the Postal Service was pleased to support the campaign in service to the community alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration Caribbean Division, the U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA Prevention Initiative, the Virgin Islands Police Department, the Health Department, the Overdose Response Strategy and the Centers for Disease Control.
Officials said the goal of the initiative is to keep medicines meant to treat specific conditions out of the hands of those who would misuse them, ingest them, or sell them on the street for profit.
“We have a lot of hospice cases here; a lot of medications are being flushed down the toilet or being thrown in the garbage which is definitely being detrimental to our environment,” said HIDTA Intelligence Officer Rodney Querrard. Querrard — a former V.I. Police commissioner — said efforts to recover unused prescription drugs have been going on in the territory for about a decade.
When the first national campaign took shape in 2010, the U.S. Justice Department proclaimed a National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
“This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet,” said a statement from the DEA Office of Public Affairs.
The Environmental Protection Agency also echoes the importance of safely disposing of unused medications. On its website, the EPA says even common drugs like aspirin can harm aquatic plants and animals when flushed down sinks and toilets into local waterways.
Through continuing efforts, the DEA has “removed 19.2 million pounds of unneeded prescription drugs from communities nationwide,” Querrard said. “That’s a lot of prescription drugs that never made it to the streets.”
HIDTA Executive Director for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands John Kanig commended local DEA officials, V.I. Police Commissioner Mario Brooks and U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands Delia Smith for promoting the drop box campaign.
To reinforce the message expressed on Wednesday, HIDTA Deputy Director James Doby said promoters would “continue to use open media, social media outlets, and posters” displayed at post offices to remind patrons to dispose of unused medicines safely after consulting with their medical professionals.
