GLOVERSVILLE — The Gloversville Police Department will participate in National Prescription Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the station located at 3 Frontage Road.
City police will be partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration for the 15th time in 8 years for the event that will allow residents to dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
A news release from the GPD stated that the DEA can only accept pills or patches during this event. Liquids, needles and sharps will not be taken.
According to police, common methods of disposal for unused medications such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. These medicines are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse when left unused in home medicine cabinets.
This initiative seeks to address what police say is a vital public safety and health issue in a time when rates of prescription drug abuse, overdoses and accidental poisonings are alarmingly high across the nation.
Last October the DEA collected 912,305 pounds of prescription drugs for disposal at more than 5,300 collection sites through partnerships with more than 4,200 local law enforcement agencies. Since fall 2010 DEA sponsored drug take back events have collected 9,015,668 pounds of prescription drugs.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 28 Take Back Day event, visit the DEA Diversion website at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug—disposal/takeback/ or contact the GPD Detective Division at (518) 773-4514. The event is free and anonymous.
