Question: My uncle died recently, and when we cleaned up his house, we found so many old prescriptions, mostly pills but also syrup. I wasn’t really paying attention, but I seem to recall we’re not supposed to put it in the rubbish. Please advise.
Answer: You are correct that authorities encourage people not to throw unused or expired prescription medication in the trash or flush it down the toilet, both of which pose health and/or environmental risks. It’s safer to dispose of the drugs at one of the regular take-back events organized by law enforcement agencies in Hawaii and across the country.
There’s one scheduled for Saturday, with collection sites to be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oahu, Hawaii island, Maui and Kauai.
Pills, liquids and other forms of medication will be accepted, according to a news release from the state Attorney General’s Office. However, needles will not be accepted — regardless of whether they are new or used. The disposal service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.
Here are the drop-off locations, according to a flyer from the AG’s Office, which works with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies in the initiative.
Oahu
>> State Capitol, 415 S. Beretania St.; drive-thru from Beretania Street
>> Kahala Mall, 4211 Waialae Ave; inside the mall near the Kilauea Avenue entrance
>> Pearl City station of Honolulu Police Department, 1100 Waimano Home Road; parking lot
>> Town Center of Mililani, 95-1249 Meheula Parkway
>> Windward Mall, 46-056 Kamehameha Highway; near food court inside the mall
Military bases on Oahu (for those with base access)
>> Marine Corps Exchange, Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe
>> Pearl Harbor Navy Exchange, 4725 Bougainville Drive; main lobby
>> Schofield Barracks Post Exchange; inside near flower shop
Hawaii island
>> Ka Waena Lapaau Medical Complex, 670 Ponahawai St. in Hilo; upper parking lot
>> Kona station of Hawaii Police Department, 74-0611 Hale Makai Place; parking lot
Maui
>> Maui Police Department, 55 Mahalani St. in Wailuku; parking lot
Kauai
>> Kauai Police Department, 3990 Kaana St. in Lihue; parking lot
For more information, check online at dea.gov or ag.hawaii.gov. Organizers hope to collect at least 6,000 pounds of prescription drugs, double the haul of the previous National Take-Back Initiative in Hawaii.
Q: Why is the NCIS investigating the fatal shooting in Ewa Beach? The victim was in the Navy, but the shooting didn’t happen on base.
A: The Naval Criminal Investigative Service “has responsibility for investigating any non-combat death involving a naval service member where the cause of death cannot be medically attributable to disease or natural causes,” according to its website, ncis.navy.mil.
Its special agents may arrest military members and civilians, on and off military installations, according to the website.
The Honolulu Police Department also is investigating the April 15 shooting, which left Chief Petty Officer John Ellsworth Hasselbrink dead of a single gunshot wound. Hasselbrink, a Pearl Harbor-based submariner, was shot while trying to open a neighbor’s front door in the middle of the night; he had apparently mistaken it for the entrance to his own residence.
The NCIS frequently works with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as it focuses on felony criminal offenses affecting the Department of the Navy. Because offenses “may occur in locations where state or local authorities have lead investigative jurisdiction or foreign agencies exercise sovereign jurisdiction, NCIS prides itself on the quality of its engagement with partner agencies,” its website states.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
