Sheriff’s Drug Take-Back Day Is Saturday

COOPERSTOWN – Clean your cabinets and prevent pill abuse with a prescription drug take-back day, sponsored by the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, the public will be able to dispose of expired, unused or unwanted prescription pills or patches at the Otsego County Public Safety Building, 172 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown.

Liquids, needles or sharps cannot be accepted, and the service is anonymous and no questions asked.

In Oneonta, drugs can be dropped off at the following locations:

• FoxCare Center Pharmacy: One FoxCare Drive

• Oneonta Police Department – Public Safety Building: 79 Main Street

• SUNY Oneonta Police Department: 1 Alumni Hall.

According to the DEA, 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.  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 350 tons (over 702,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners.  Overall, in its 10 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 5.5 million pounds—more than 2,750 tons—of pills.