Police agencies Saturday across Greene and Columbia counties will be participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Nationwide Drug Take Back Day.
The event happens twice yearly, in April and October.
Unused or expired prescription medications can be disposed of safely at several locations.
Columbia County has three drop-off locations, Greene County four.
Greene County locations include the Greene County Sheriff’s Office at 45 Haverly Memorial Drive in Coxsackie, CVS Pharmacy at 7600 Route 32 in Cairo, hosted by Town of Cairo Police, said Sgt. Rick Bush. Also: Coxsackie Police Department at 119 Mansion St., and Windham Police Department, 371 Route 296 in Hensonville.
In Columbia County old and unwanted prescriptions can be dropped off at the Hudson Police Department on Union Street, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office on Industrial Tract in Greenport and the Chatham Police Department at Tracy Hall on Main Street.
Medications will be collected at all locations between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“These outdated medications are a public safety issue. It can lead to misuse, overdoses, poisoning, and it’s an environmental issue as well,” said Hudson police chief L. Edward Moore.
According to a recent national survey on drug use and health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives.
The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet, according to the DEA website.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to dispose of their unneeded or old medications, so it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands,” Greene County Sheriff Pete Kusminsky said Thursday.
During prescription drug take back day last October, 744,082 pounds or 372 tons, of medication were collected nationwide, according to DEA records.
The largest amount collected locally was in Cairo, where Town of Cairo Police reported more than 11 cases of medication, weighing 211 pounds, were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office collected 40 pounds of medication, filling two boxes. About 10 pounds was collected at the Hudson Police Station and about 5 pounds of medication were turned in at the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.
The medications are brought to a site where they are incinerated, police said.
The first Take-Back Day was held Sept. 25, 2010. Four days following the event, Congress approved an amendment to the Controlled Substances Act. The action provided the DEA with the option to develop a permanent process for people to safely and conveniently dispose of their prescription drugs.