People across the state cleaned out their cabinets and made their homes a little safer Saturday during a Prescription Drug Turn-In Day.
At the North Portland Fred Meyer people dropped off expired, unwanted and dangerous drugs with the Portland Police Bureau and the city's Office of Neighborhood Involvement. They collected tablets, capsules, and even cough syrup to help families make sure their medicine doesn't wind up in the wrong hands.
"It feels good," said Paula Chernoff about bringing in medication she no longer needs.
"What if a burglar came? I don't know if my drugs could be used for something bad like making meth but who knows?" she said. "I'd rather they be taken care of in a safe way."
Angela Wagnon, a Crime Prevention Coordinator with the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, said that just because a pill is prescription, doesn't mean it's safe.
"Kids can go right into the medicine cabinet and they can take them," Wagnon said. "Kids use these recreationally, especially the controlled substances. They can take them and get high."
She said expired drugs can be dangerous too. As potency decreases, patients tend to take more. Wagnon said a drug build up can be harmful. When it comes to the environment, she said proper disposal is key.
"These drugs are incinerated through a filtered incineration system which is the safest way we can dispose of them without them going into the environment," Wagnon said.
The event organizers said if you weren't able to drop off your drugs Saturday, there will be another opportunity this spring. In the meantime, they advised storing your prescription medication in a safe place, out of sight.
A dropoff location in Beaverton collected 213 pounds of drugs.
