National Drug Take-Back Day Saturday: Ossining Collection

Actually, you can safely dispose of unwanted prescription medications any day at the collection kiosk at Ossining Police Headquarters on Spring Street.

But Sept. 26 is special, because it’s a national project to make people aware and get people to act.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States 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. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Last September, Americans turned in 309 tons (over 617,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 5,500 sites operated by the DEA during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

Tomorrow, Ossining police will be working with HealthSmart Pharmacy and Ossining Communities That Care to host the local Drug Take-Back day in the lobby of the court room beginning at 9 am.