Crime & Safety

Police, Town Participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Residents can clean out their medicine cabinets and properly dispose of unused or expired prescription medications on Saturday.

Get rid of the clutter in the medicine cabinet -- and keep teens safe -- during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday.

The Riverhead Police Department, in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice/Drug Enforcement Administration and numerous law enforcement agencies nationwide, has scheduled the yearly event, which takes place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Riverhead Police Department.

“This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications,” Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean M. Walter said. “All citizens are urged to check their medications and turn in expired or unwanted drugs.  Doing so not only ensures the safety of you and your family, it also protects the environment from harmful effects of improper disposal.” 

Police Chief David Hegermiller said the Town of Riverhead has participated in the program since its inception by the DEA in October 2010; the amount of drugs taken in has increased every year. 

The  free, anonymous, no-questions-asked national initiative helps to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs, while addressing a vital public safety and health issue, Hegermiller said.

"It is very important to legitimately get rid of these prescriptions because some can be very addictive and are gateway drugs to other more dangerous narcotics,” Hegermiller said.

Hegermiller urged residents to “keep prescription drugs in a secure place, under lock and key, if necessary, and out of the medicine cabinet.  Keep track of quantities; missing pills could be a warning sign. When finished with a prescription, make sure you dispose of it properly.” 

Properly disposing of medications protects the drinking water from contamination from pharmaceutical residues, Walter added. ”It also ensures that children, young adults and others will not have ready access to controlled substances.” 

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse.

The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second, only to marijuana, as the most common form of drug abuse in America.

According to statistics, the majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get the medications from family and friends – and the home medicine cabinet.

To that end, To that end, "Rx for Disaster: Get Smart about Prescription Painkillers and Over the Counter (OTC) Drugs," a community forum hosted by the Riverhead Community Coalition for Safe and Drug-Free Youth, will take place on Monday at 7 p.m. at Riverhead High School.

The forum will address the growing problem of prescription painkillers and over the counter drug abuse on Long Island and among young people -- and ways community members can work cooperatively to address the problem and the subsequent related crime.

Keynote speakers will include Dr. Alexis Hugelmeyer, Director of Community Education at Peconic Bay Medical Center and local family physician, and Cathy L., a Long Island mother who lost her 20-year-old son to a drug overdose after an eight year addiction that started with prescription painkillers. 

In addition, a panel of local experts will be comprised of representatives from law enforcement, the medical community, substance abuse prevention and treatment fields, and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. 

The Suffolk County sheriff’s office will also have an officer in attendance from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to collect any unused or unwanted prescription drugs that could otherwise end up in the hands of teens, addicts and criminals.   

In addition, theft of controlled substances is another escalating issue.

    



Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.