Team Holloman to host another drug take back day

  • Published
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. The number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs is remarkably high and on the rise. To address this public safety issue, on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the 49th Security Forces Squadron, 49th Medical Group pharmacy and the Drug Demand Reduction Office will team up with the Drug Enforcement Administration to prevent drug abuse and theft by collecting dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription and non-prescription drugs. During this time, patients may bring old, expired, unused and unwanted medications to the Holloman AFB Exchange, or Shoppette for disposal. The service is free and anonymous no questions asked.

Every six months TSgt Akamie Fives, 49th Medical Support Squadron diagnostic and therapeutics flight chief, and Mr. Charles Hawkins, 49th Security Forces Squadron, Installation Resource Protection Program Manager, assist the Drug Enforcement Agency in collecting unused, expired drugs. The DEA then disposes of the drugs via incineration. This effort was started in Sept. 2010 and this collection on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. hrs will be only the sixth collection effort. The first five efforts have removed over 2 million pounds (1038 tons) of medication from circulation. Please contact Mr. Charles Hawkins at 572-0196 or TSgt Akamie Fives @ 572-2778 with any concerns.


Items Accepted
Prescription medications
Medication samples
Over-the-counter medications
Vitamins, supplements
Medications for pets
Medicated ointments/lotions
Inhalers
Liquid medicine in glass or leak-proof containers

Items Not Accepted
Needles/ Lancets/ Syringes
Thermometers
Aerosol cans
Empty containers
Personal care products (non-medicated shampoo, etc).
Bloody or infectious waste
Hydrogen Peroxide