SAFE GC Coalition Encourages Community to Dispose Unwanted Meds

Every year, SAFE, the City of Glen Cove Mayor’s office, Glen Cove Police Department and Glen Cove EMS partner on an event entitled “Shed Your Med’s.” This prevention program follows the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Take Back Day – a day that addresses abuse of controlled prescription drugs.

Abuse of prescription medication has become a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

In 2014 the DEA made a final rule regarding the disposal of pharmaceutical controlled substances in accordance with the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) to give them authority to promulgate new regulations that will allow a person who has lawfully obtained, and who possesses, a controlled substance for his own use or for the use of a member of his household or for an animal owned by him or a member of his household to deliver unused pharmaceutical controlled substances to appropriate entities for disposal in a safe and effective manner.

Shed Your Med’s provides an opportunity for individuals to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. This year’s Shed Your Med’s” event took place on Saturday May 18th from 10-1am. At the Glen Cove Police Department. Over 120 lbs. of unwanted medications were collected.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE" to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. For information about the Coalition visit us at: www.safeglencove.org, or follow us on: www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition.