Question: Do they still do those expired medication drop-off events? I never see much about them anymore. My Longs doesn’t have one of those boxes.
Answer: Yes, Hawaii still participates in the twice-a-year National Take Back Initiative, but as your question implied, the recent installation of permanent drop-boxes at a total of 17 Longs Drugs stores on four islands may reduce the need for this service in those areas.
The next communitywide drop-off is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. As of Wednesday, collections were scheduled at the following sites, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division. Use the location search function at 808ne.ws/deatake to check for updates.
Oahu
>> Fire Station No. 18, 211 Kuulei Road in Kailua; parking lot
>> State Capitol, 415 S. Beretania St.; drive-thru from Beretania Street
>> Kahala Mall, 4211 Waialae Ave; inside mall near Longs Drugs
>> Kapolei Police Station, 1100 Kamokila Blvd.; parking lot
>> Pearl City Police Station, 1100 Waimano Home Road; parking lot
>> Pearl Harbor Navy Exchange, 4725 Bougainville Drive; main lobby; must have base access
>> Town Center of Mililani, 95-1249 Meheula Parkway; north end of shopping center
>> Waialua Community Assn., 66-434 Kamehameha Highway, gym parking lot
>> Windward Mall, 46-056 Kamehameha Highway; inside mall, near the food court
Hawaii island
>> Hilo: Ka Waena Lapaau Medical Complex, 670 Ponahawai St.; upper parking lot
>> Kona: Kona Police Station, 74-0611 Hale Makai Place; parking lot
Maui
>> Wailuku: Maui Police Department, 55 Mahalani St.; parking lot
Kauai
>> Lihue: Kauai Police Department, 3990 Kaana St.; parking lot
As at past events, you can anonymously drop off unused or expired prescription medication, no questions asked. Medication such as pills, capsules and patches will be accepted, according to the DEA. However, “sharps” such as syringes (new or used) will not be accepted. The medication collected will be incinerated.
Law enforcement agencies also have prescription drug disposal sites open year-round on Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, the Big Island and Kauai. Go to hawaiiopioid.org and click on “take back” to find their closest permanent drop-box.
If you’d rather find the nearest Longs Drugs with a medication disposal unit, go to safe.pharmacy/drug-disposal/ to search for Hawaii locations. The list that pops up should include the pharmacy’s address and phone number and information about what is not accepted. For example, no sharps, aerosols, inhalers, illicit drugs or chemotherapy waste is accepted at any of Longs’ disposal sites on Oahu, according to the website.
Mahalo
To the person who found and turned in a key at the Nimitz Highway City Mill, MAHALO! — Signed, sincerely grateful guy
Mahalo
We would like to commend and thank the extraordinary representative at the question-and-answer/help table (walk-in line), inside of the entrance at the Kapalama DMV. Midmorning on Tuesday, my husband and I drove to the DMV, seeking confirmation of some online information for state ID “gold star” upgrades. This was on behalf of my 93-year-old parents. The representative took the extra steps of checking both parents’ files; making sure each one was up to date and in compliance to receive their “gold star” without additional documentation requirements. He answered all of our questions in a friendly manner, and with such efficiency. In addition, as far as we could tell, this professional did the same for every DMV customer waiting in the long line! Mahalo. — Two grateful citizens
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.
