More than 200 pounds of prescription drugs collected at the Nampa Police Department are being returned

NAMPA, Idaho — National Narcotics Control Day will be Oct. 26. Law enforcement agencies across the country gave people a safe way to get rid of an unused prescription, and Idaho was no different. Throughout the Treasure Valley, police departments participated in the event. In Nampa, officer Jacob Wisler said the Nampa Police Department (NPD) was able to get a lot of drugs off the street.

“So, yesterday, we had about 100 and 50 cars at our dump and it was successful, we had 10 boxes that gave more than 200 pounds of drugs that were donated by those doctors will eventually be burned and discarded,” Wisler said.

He said prescription drugs are usually safe when used correctly, and that means following the instructions. Unfortunately, sometimes the use of prescription drugs can become an addiction. Wisler worked with the DEA’s overdose unit in California from 2019 to 2023.

“I responded to more than 350 people who died from drug-related overdoses, especially fentanyl-related overdose deaths. I had the opportunity to speak with family members of those victims.’ And many times I learned that these people became addicted to the drugs in the first place, the drugs that were given to them by the doctor, and they were recovering after the surgery. they recovered from some pain, and became their slaves, and turned to illegal means of obtaining it.

Wisler said that’s why programs like National Drug Take Back Day are important.

“Sometimes, when people are addicted, the addiction is so strong, they’ll reach out to friends and family members and try to find out if there’s any kind of prescription pill that might be they put them in. But when that process ends, they will turn to the streets and try to get them from illegal sources,” said Wisler.

He said that illegal sources can eventually lead to torture and death.

“Drug dealers realized that it was very easy to deal with illegal prescription pain medication. And then they started distributing fentanyl, which was designed to look like prescription drugs. he is a doctor in our town,” said Wisler.

Officer Wisler says he always reminds people of the dangers of using prescription drugs.

“Even if it’s a pharmaceutical drug, if you don’t get it from the manufacturer, from the doctor specifically, you don’t know what’s in that drug. You don’t know if the product is what’s up,” he said. .

The national take-back program began in 2010 when the law began to see an increase in the misuse of illegal prescriptions. However, there are also many other reasons to remove unused commands.

“One of the advantages of making drugs take back day is that we send them in boxes, we send them to the laboratory, and then they dispose of them as incinerators. It is the right way to dispose of drugs,” he said. “Flushing them down the toilet can pollute the water system. You never know who’s taking them out of the trash cans. Also, that could be an undetected way that you’re putting drugs on the streets by just throwing them in your trash can.”

Although there are two local events that take place each year, people can take a lot of medicine at most police departments 24 hours a day.

“I think it’s important to get the message out to the public, that drug addiction is a real thing,” Wisler said. “Many people with drug addiction problems started with prescription pills and the right source. It’s important to know that anyone with a drug addiction problem can get help. It’s not just the police who are willing to help you, there are many other programs available to help people with drug addiction.”

Also, people can take any type of over-the-counter medicine, not just pain pills. Anyone with an addiction can call SAMHSA at 1-800-662-HELP (4357), National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program will connect people with substance abuse programs in the area and is written in English and Spanish.

The next local return date is April 2025.