New Prescription Drop-Box

The Rhinelander Police Department will be a location to safely drop off your unused, unwanted, or expired prescription and non-prescription medication. A free, secure, anonymous drop-box is available in the police department lobby any time during normal office hours (8 AM – 4:30 PM). Pills and powders are accepted, but liquids, creams or syringes cannot be taken.

Prescription drug abuse has become the fastest growing form of drug use among youth and adults. Locally, nearly the same number of youth were arrested for prescription drug violations as for marijuana. The increase in prescription drug abuse is largely due to prescription drugs being widely available through legal prescriptions, highly accessible in home medicine chests or other common locations, their high attractiveness because they are considered a “clean” drug with no smoke or mess, and their high affordability as they are often free for taking from the right location. One of the easiest ways to decrease availability and accessibility is by routinely removing unused medication from a home.

NADDI, the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, provided the grant funding for the Rhinelander Police drop box, and also maintains a database of other prescription drop boxes nationally. To find the drop box closest to you, visit http://rxdrugdropbox.org

The following reports contain more information on the problem of underage substance use and abuse (all PDF documents):

*  2010 It’s the Norm – Executive Summary and Recommendations
*  2010 It’s the Norm – Youth Substance Use in OC and VC
*  2010 It’s the Norm – Appendix A Other Drug summary table