District 211 partners with police on unwanted prescription drug collection programs
Students are often challenged by social pressures to experiment with drugs and other substances. The response to these challenges can have a life-altering impact and frequently test young people's abilities to understand long-term consequences.
To raise awareness as well as help prevent young adults from participating in drug use, District 211 is partnering with local authorities. On Oct. 22, the Palatine Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will be collecting unwanted prescription drugs at the Palatine Police Headquarters, 595 N. Hicks Road, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous, and no questions will be asked of participants.
To ensure a safe, and quick process, participants should do the following:
Medication: All medication should be sealed in clear plastic zip-lock bags.
Syringes: Although the DEA does not accept syringes, the Palatine Police will dispose of them. Syringes must be capped and packaged separately from medication.
Liquids will not be accepted.
The Schaumburg Police Department also participates in a prescription drug drop-off throughout the year. Community members can bring unwanted medications to the Schaumburg Police Department, 1000 W. Schaumburg Road, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Disposal recommendations are as follows:
Remove pills from their container and place them in a zip-lock bag.
Keep liquid medications in the original container and place the bottle in a zip-lock bag.
The following items are not accepted:
Sharps/needles/EpiPens
Radioactive medications
Biohazard materials, including wound dressings
The prescription drug collection correlates with the upcoming District 211 Community Education Session from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at William Fremd High School, 1000 S. Quentin Road. The session will focus on student wellness, drug use and abuse, and the impact personal decisions can have for students. This session will be similar to the program held at Conant High School in May.
Representatives from Kenneth Young Center and the Palatine Police Department will discuss and review current trends concerning students' access to, use, and abuse of narcotics and prescription medications. Chelsea Laliberte, executive director of Live4Lali, an organization founded in her brother's memory and dedicated to the prevention of drug-related deaths, will join this discussion as a guest speaker. The session is designed to help parents and caregivers have greater awareness of warning signs so that connections to early intervention can be established.
Community education is important to High School District 211 and involvement will help our schools strengthen our commitment to serve all students. All sessions are open to the public and offered free.
For information about the drug collection program through the Palatine Police Department, please contact the Palatine Police Department at (847) 359-9000. Please contact Schaumburg Police Department at (847) 882-3586 for more information about the Schaumburg prescription drug collection program.