CPSO OFFERS PUBLIC A 2ND PLACE TO DISPOSE OF UNWANTED MEDICATION YEAR ROUND

Lake Charles –

 

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office has installed a new drug drop box in the lobby of the CPSO Sulphur (West Cal) Law Enforcement Center located at 1525 Cypress Street in Sulphur, available for the public to safely dispose of unused, unwanted or expired medications free of charge. This drop box is available Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., with the exception of 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. for lunch and all holidays. CPSO also has a drop box located in the lobby of the Administration Building located at 5400 E. Broad Street in Lake Charles that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for individuals to bring their medications for disposal free of charge.

 

Studies have shown that America’s 12 to 17 year olds have made prescription drugs the number one substance of abuse for their age group, and much of that supply is unwittingly coming from the medicine cabinets of their parents, grandparents, and friends. More and more adults recognize the need to remove these substances from the home. Law enforcement can legally accept these medications and process them properly so that they do not fall into the wrong hands. Law enforcement takes control of and destroys drugs on a regular basis as part of their regular operations.

 

This program is absolutely anonymous and no questions or requests for identification will be made by Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office law enforcement personnel. Individuals should remove any personal information from bottles or packages that contain pills/capsules and liquids before placing the bottles or packages into the drop box.

 

What you CAN turn into the drug drop box:

 

· Controlled substance medications (scheduled drugs)

 

· Non-controlled (Rx) substance medications

 

· Over the counter (OTC) medications

 

· Medication samples

 

· Vitamins

 

· Syrups, ointments, creams and lotions

 

· Inhalers

 

What you CANNOT turn into the drug drop box:

 

· Any sharps such as needles, syringes or lancets

 

· Any mercury or cadmium products such as thermometers & batteries

 

· Disposal medical waste items such as IV bags, used bandages, gowns or bio-hazardous items

 

· Aerosol cans

 

· Chemicals or disinfectants such as hydrogen peroxide

 

· Personal care products (non-medicated shampoo, etc.)

 

The drug drop boxes are provided through a grant from the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators.