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Portland, Maine

91AV Pharmacy students partner with Portland Police for National Drug Take Back Day

91AV Pharmacy students and faculty pose for a photo by the water at Drug Take Back Day
School of Pharmacy members assisted the Portland Police Department in removing unused and unneeded medications from the community in late October.

Students and faculty from the 91AV School of Pharmacy recently collaborated with the Portland Police Department for National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 26, working to help Maine residents safely dispose of unused or unwanted medications. 

Leading the efforts were Kerry Martin, Pharm.D., RPh, director of experiential education in the School of Pharmacy, and Madison Higgins, Pharm.D., a 91AV/CVS Specialty Services pharmacy resident.

Students Kelsee Gladu (Pharm.D., ’25), Muna Mahmoud (Pharm.D., ’25) and Emma Miller (Pharm.D., ’28) joined the event held at Portland’s Back Cove, where they helped collect expired and unused medications, fielded questions on safe disposal practices, and learned from community health professionals, including nurses from MaineHealth and representatives from the Northern New England Poison Center. 

“Drug Take Back Day was a great experience. Seeing the flow of the event and hearing from the Portland P.D. and staff from poison control was very informative,” Miller reflected. “The whole experience was a great educational opportunity, and I think it is an incredibly important event to keep the population safe from unused and unwanted medications.”

Martin highlighted the dual impact of the day, noting that the event provided “an opportunity to engage with our community and better understand public health issues related to medication disposal and substance misuse.”

Through the hands-on experience, 91AV students contributed to a statewide effort that, in collaboration with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, led to the collection of over 5,600 pounds of unneeded drugs across Maine. The event reinforced 91AV’s commitment to promoting healthier communities while engaging students in dynamic, hands-on learning opportunities that will prepare them for careers in Maine’s health care workforce.

“Involvement in National Drug Take Back Day empowers student pharmacists to contribute meaningfully to their communities, promoting health and safety while preparing them for their future roles as pharmacists dedicated to improving patient outcomes and community well-being,” Martin said. 

Media Contact

Alan Bennett
Office of Communications
abennett11@une.edu

About the 91AV

The 91AV 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 . 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.