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Programs makes proper drug disposal easy
Aims to keep drugs out of water supply
Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by DARWIN WEIGEL
From left, Beverly Dillon and Leo Mallard of Chesapeake Pharmacy, Deputy State's Attorney Fran Longwell, Candice D'Agostino of CAASA, Sheriff Mike Evans, Mary Lou Johnson of Park and Recreation, Mike Thompson of the Solid Waste Department, and County Recycling Coordinator Bill Teter pose around the new prescription drug drop box at the Calvert County Sheriff's Office in Prince Frederick.
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Local agencies and two pharmacies have been working together behind the scenes to create solutions to properly dispose of unused or expired medications.
The proper disposal of unused medications can combat both prescription drug abuse and the presence of pharmaceuticals in the water supplies. A public/private partnership has been formed under the direction of Calvert Alliance Against Substance Abuse (CAASA) to provide environmentally friendly methods for proper disposal of drugs and a safe alternative to simply flushing them down the drain, a CAASA press release stated.
About two weeks ago, the group placed a pharmaceutical drop box in front of the Calvert County Sheriff's Office on Church Street for residents to dispose of any unwanted drugs, in hopes of getting potentially abused drugs out of the system, said CAASA's coordinator Candice D'Agostino.
Calvert County Assistant State's Attorney Frances Longwell was asked to tackle any legal issues surrounding prescription drugs for the program's pamphlet, which cites the criminal penalties for illegal drug possession and signs of prescription drug abuse.
"It's a big issue," she said of prescription drug abuse in the county, particularly Oxycontin.
Lt. Dave McDowell, patrol supervisor of the sheriff's office, thought of using a mailbox as a depository for unwanted medications. An old mailbox was donated and the county's general services department painted it white, D'Agostino said.
"A lot of ideas came together," she said.
People can anonymously put any drugs into the box, said Mary Lou Johnson, recreation supervisor for the county's Department of Parks and Recreation.
"You just can drop them off, no judgment, 24/7," she said.
If people feel more comfortable taking off or marking over identifications on the bottles, they can do so, D'Agostino said.
Three counties on the Eastern Shore have a similar drop box and St. Mary's and Charles counties are checking into doing something similar, D'Agostino said.
"We've done this a couple times in Calvert County. We've set the pace," said Sheriff Mike Evans (R) about installing the drop box, which will be monitored by a surveillance camera to provide security and prevent theft of the contents. The drugs will be collected for incineration periodically.
Pharmacies to take back medications
Two local pharmacies, Chesapeake Pharmacy in Chesapeake Beach and Calvert-Arundel Pharmacy in Owings, have also set the pace, being two of only five pharmacies in the state licensed to take back unused and expired medications. Both locations are owned by the same company.
With the idea of deterring redistribution of medications for improper usage and the secondary benefit of protecting the bay, a state law licensing pharmacies to take back medication passed in 2006 and was activated in 2007, pharmacist Leo Mallard explained.
Knowing that getting licensed would take time and effort — a six month process — Mallard said the pharmacies still proceeded knowing the value and sensitivity of the bay in their neighborhood.
"We wanted to do something. We decided to make a point," he said.
But the law was not written well and taking back medications called for cumbersome documentation and extra employee hours without any funds appropriated, so most pharmacies have not gone through the licensing process, Mallard said, pointing out the law was given "three failure reports" when it was reviewed by legislative committees.
One of the main discrepancies with the law is that it does not allow pharmacies to take back controlled substances.
"[It's a] big part of the law that's missing," said pharmacist Beverly Dillon.
Mallard, with Dillon along side, gave presentations about the two pharmacies' "Take Back" program at town council meetings in the Twin Beaches last month.
The two pharmacies received their licenses in December, and although they asked that medications are sent to the pharmacy in their original containers, Mallard said he has seen different pills in one bottle. Mallard said the medications are then sorted, documented and then sent to a company that will incinerate them and keep them from harming the environment.
"It looked like mission impossible, but we're getting it to work," Mallard said at last month's Chesapeake Beach Town Council meeting.
Mallard, who promoted the "Take Back" program, also addressed the shortcomings in the state law and asked the town councils to help with changes in the law.
Chesapeake Beach Mayor Bruce Wahl and the town council said they supported the program and the town attorney even drafted a resolution that night in support of allowing pharmacies to take back controlled dangerous substances. It was voted on and approved at that town council meeting.
"We'll approach our state legislators on this. Calvert County is going to be the mouse hitting the lion's tail by doing this," Wahl said.
The presentation was also given at the North Beach Town Council meeting last month and it, too, was in support of the program. Council members suggested posting the information on the town's Web site. Council member Jane Hagen, who is on the state legislative committee for the Maryland Municipal League, said she would approach legislators about amending the law.
The programs will be pitched to the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners for its support as well, but D'Agostino said she thought it will take time for the state to change the law to allow for all medications, including controlled dangerous substances, to be taken back to pharmacies.
For now, the new drop box gives people an option that she hopes county residents will take advantage of and get drugs that might be abused out of distribution by disposing of them in an environmentally friendly manner.
