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CRIME NEWS New rules provide more options for cleaning out medicine cabinet Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 26, 2014 at 4:06 PM Updated Sep 26, 2014 at 4:13 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 26, 2014 at 4:06 PM Updated Sep 26, 2014 at 4:13 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Dispose of unneeded medication safely » Social News New federal regulations expand options for patients wishing to rid themselves of expired or unused medications.   New disposal regulations published this month under the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 expand the number of options for unused medication collection. According to summary in the U.S. Federal Register, these options include collection receptacles, mail-back programs, and "take-back events" similar to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's bi-annual Drug Take Back Day. One of those take-back events is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Drop boxes for medications are available in front of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, 5179 Crater Lake Highway, Central Point, and in front of the Medford police station, 411 W. Eighth St., Medford. The new rules go into effect Oct. 9, the Federal Register shows. The DEA reported that previously no legal provision existed for patients wanting to get rid of unused medications, short of giving them to police. "Anything that had been prescribed to a user had to come (back to) law enforcement prior to this law going into effect,” said Cam Strahm, DEA assistant special agent in charge, Oregon division. Soon, hospitals with on-site pharmacies, retail pharmacies, narcotic treatment programs and other DEA registrants can change their registration with the agency and become authorized collectors of unused medicines. "They're already registered with the DEA, they're just modifying their registration," Strahm said. Prior to the law changes, hospitals and pharmacies were banned from accepting old or unused medication. DEA officials say this led to a lot of patients flushing medication down the toilet, throwing them in the trash or letting them sit in their medicine cabinets. Strahm said this led to a host of concerns, including water supply contamination, theft and abuse of the medications. It's a problem that's skyrocketed over the past few years, local police said. Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau said a sizable amount of burglaries seem to target the medicine cabinet, oftentimes ignoring electronics and other expensive items in the home. Officers have even responded to medicinal theft reports at some open houses, where home viewers apparently pilfered the pills during walkthroughs. "People become desperate to get this stuff," Budreau said, adding many of the medications are common stepping stones to street drugs like less expensive heroin. "It's just something that's been on our radar for a couple years now." Amy Watson, outpatient pharmacy manager for the Asante Rogue Valley Rx pharmacy, said she agrees with the idea of patients being able to bring back unused medications in a safe way. However, if becoming a drop-off site resulted in increased costs and extra paperwork, she doubts the option will be popular among pharmacies. “I feel if pharmacies have a lot of costs associated, there probably won’t be a lot of them that will do it,” Watson said. Tim Lichlyter, owner of the Shady Cove Pharmacy, said he supports the idea of getting unused medications off the streets, but  worries about potential security threats if word got out that certain pharmacies had been receiving a lot of unused narcotics. “But as far as getting it away from the general public, I think it’s a great idea. I think there’s a huge problem out there with narcotics," Lichlyter said. "That part I like. I’m just not sure all the details yet on how that can be handled." Strahm said he is optimistic about the changes. He added he hopes that the expansion will encourage a more regular disposal of any medicines gathering dust, as opposed to having to wait for special events that have narrow time windows for dropoff.  "Hopefully this will be more convenient," he said. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 26, 2014 at 4:06 PM Updated Sep 26, 2014 at 4:13 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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