Maine Sunday Telegram features story on Saturday's Drug Take-Back Day

The Maine Sunday Telegram on April 29, 2012 featured a story on Saturday's Drug Take-Back Day and the UNE College of Pharmacy's research in connection with the state and national program.

UNE pharmacy students have been using the take-back effort to research the use of prescription drugs in Maine. Volunteers cataloged each pill in an effort to identify which medications are being over-prescribed or improperly used by patients and to improve patient outcomes.

In all, 130 University of New England pharmacy students, professors and volunteer pharmacists sifted through the piles of medications dropped off at the UNE Portland campus and several other locations during the fourth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The program, which has been taking place every six months, is organized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and local police departments.

College of Pharmacy students Colleen Szymczuk '15 and Lauren Spada '14 were interviewed for the story, and Sarah DeRaps '14, Lindsey Cashell '15 and Erika Newman '15 appeared in story photographs.

UNE's Coastal Healthy Community's Coalition was also a sponsor of the York County Drug Take-Back Day. The seven York County dropoff locations collected a total of 1,018 pounds of drugs.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.