FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2018
Contact: John Lyon 845-638-5645

New City, NY – County Executive Ed Day announced that the first Drug Take Back Day of 2018, held Saturday April 28th, was extremely successful. Prescription drugs were collected at five locations throughout Rockland County and many more unwanted prescriptions were dropped off than in previous years.

The event was part of the National Drug Take Back day initiated by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. The local event was organized by County Executive Day and the Rockland County Department of Mental Health under the direction of Commissioner Michael Leitzes along with police in Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Spring Valley and the Rockland County Sheriff's Department.

"Turning in these medications to the proper authorities is the best way to keep them off the streets while also protecting the environment by keeping prescription drugs out of our water supply," said County Executive Day. "Thank you to our Department of Mental Health and all the hardworking individuals and organizations that made Drug Take Back Day a success."

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 U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else's medication being stolen 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.

"I would like to thanks the Clarkstown, Spring Valley and Haverstraw Police Departments as well as the Rockland County Sheriff's Department for participating. In addition the following agencies were on hand to help collect prescriptions, NYS OASAS (New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services) , Lexington Center for Recovery, RCADD (Rockland Council on Alcoholism and other Drug Dependence), and OCADA (Our Community Against Drug Abuse)," said Commissioner Michael Leitzes. "This event would not have been such a success without the assistance of CVS and Walgreens, as well as the many Rockland County citizens that participated."

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