Vancouver Police are taking part in a national prescription drug take-back initiative supported by Public Safety Canada and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. This is the VPD’s first time participating in the program aimed at reducing the potential for the drugs to be used illicitly and/or not as prescribed, as well as reducing the risk of accidental ingestion.
The public is asked to bring their unused, unwanted, expired prescription drugs anonymously and discard them in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
Chief Chu’s Statement
Within almost every home in this country there is a silent threat to the health and safety of our children. The threat lurks in our medicine cabinets and bathroom drawers and closets. It comes in the form of unused, old or expired prescription drugs.
We know that our youth are using prescription drugs recreationally in numbers we have never seen before. In the majority of cases they are not getting those drugs from shady dealers in back alleys but from mom and dad’s medicine cabinet. The harm that these drugs can cause to our children can be irreparable. While I don’t feel qualified to outline the medical dangers, I can tell you as a parent that I would never want this for my children.
We have a duty to our children to be more vigilant and proactive about what we do with the drugs that we no longer need or are using. Leaving them to gather dust or throwing them in the waste basket is not a wise option. Flushing them has negative consequences for the environment.
The right and truly responsible thing to do is to drop the drugs off for proper disposal.
I know that takes effort and is often not convenient, so the Vancouver Police Department, along with police agencies across the country, is joining with our partners to provide more options.
At our two main police stations, 2120 Cambie Street and 3585 Gravely Street, the public will find post boxes donated by Canada Post where they can securely drop off old drugs.
They can also do the same at four designated Community Centres on May 11th.
And of course, every pharmacy has a program that offers the same service.
I would like to thank all our partners in this effort. Your actions are greatly appreciated.
I would also like to thank in advance every parent and concerned citizen who is willing to take the time to safeguard another person by dropping off their drugs for proper disposal.
We owe it to each other to do the right thing.
