BATH — New medication disposal boxes now available at local police departments will provide area residents with a safe — and free — means of disposing of unwanted prescription drugs.

The boxes were provided by Communities Against Substance Abuse (CASA), with funding from the Davenport Foundation, and the support of Mid Coast Hospital and local law enforcement agencies. They were delivered Feb. 2 and installed last week at the Brunswick, Bath, Topsham and Richmond police stations, as well as at the Sagadahoc County Sheriff ’s Office.

According to The Partnership at Drugfree.org Alliance Program, an alliance of state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations, the vast majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs get them from the medicine cabinets of friends, family and acquaintances.

“ One in five Sagadahoc County teens reports abusing a prescription medication at least once in their lifetime,” Melissa Fochesato, substance abuse prevention director for Mid Coast Hospital and a member of CASA, said in a release. “ We have been encouraging parents for many years to secure and keep track of their medications, and properly dispose of any that are unwanted or expired. These drop boxes will make it easier for all community members to do just that.”

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry, also a member of CASA, said that with one of the highest per capita disposal rates in the country during biannual medication collection events, “ We knew we needed to do more.”

CASA is the substance abuse prevention committee of Access Health, a Local Healthy Maine Partnership dedicated to supporting healthy, drug free choices in Mid Coast Maine.

bbrogan@timesrecord.com