Clean Out the Medicine Cabinets for Drug Take Back Day Saturday in New City

NEW CITY, NY – Rockland is once again offering residents the opportunity to empty their medicine cabinets of unused prescription drugs before they hurt other people or animals.

Another National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at three pharmacies in Rockland – two in Clarkstown and one in Haverstraw, County Executive Ed Day announced.

“This is an easy way to get rid of medications you no longer need so that they don’t fall into the wrong hands,” Day said. “Disposing of medications you no longer need by handing them over to the proper authorities also protects the environment by keeping prescription drugs out of our water.”

The event is part of the National Drug Take Back day initiated by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
The local event has been organized by Day and the Rockland County Department of Mental Health under the direction of Commissioner Michael Leitzes along with police in Clarkstown and Haverstraw.

During the last Drug Take Back Day held in April, Rockland residents turned in eight big boxes of unused medications.

“Think of all the pills that this very successful program is keeping out of the hands of our children,” Day said. “Eight big boxes of pills could have done a lot of damage.”

Residents will be able to bring medications to three CVS locations where police will be on hand to take the substances and dispose of them in an environmentally safe way.

Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, bring medication for disposal to:

• CVS, 280 South Main Street, New City
• CVS, 330 Route 304, Bardonia
• CVS, 12 West Ramapo Road, Garnerville

Pills and patches only — liquids, needles or sharps will not be accepted. The medications do not need to be labeled. This service is free and anonymous.

Last year, Americans turned in 309 tons of prescription drugs at nearly 5,500 sites operated by the DEA during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Rates of prescription drug abuse nationwide are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to prescription drugs.

Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

Common methods of disposing of unused medicines by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about National Drug Take Back Day events at visit the DEA Office of Diversion Control website or click here.