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Roadside needles in Wilmington serve as a reminder of the opioid epidemic

WILMINGTON, Mass. — A Wilmington woman was shocked to find at least 10 syringes in her front yard.

Midge Doyon found the needles scattered among beer cans while taking out the trash Thursday night.

“I noticed some cans, and I was going to get them for recycling, Doyon said. “And I noticed there was needles… It was a little disturbing.”

On Friday, Doyon called Wilmington police who safely discarded the needles.

“We've seen an uptick over the years through the opioid addiction we're experiencing,” Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis said. “There are needles that are thrown out windows from time to time or left in parks, and we do collect them and  get rid of them.”

The needles didn't appear to be used, Begonis said, and it’s unclear what they were intended for, but tossing them carelessly where anyone can stumble upon them is a concern.

“Obviously, on the side of the road is not the place for them. If a youngster came across them, it could be quite dangerous,” he said.

“My two grandchildren, they ride their bikes up and down this, and they go in the woods,” Doyon said. “That could've been them, touching those or bringing them to me.”

Police urge anyone disposing of needles to do so responsibly at a kiosk available at many local police departments, with no questions asked.

Meanwhile, Doyon said the incident is a reminder that the opioid epidemic is everywhere.

“It's not just in the cities; it's here,” she said.