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Town of North Hempstead’s Pharmaceutical Take-Back Event Continues to Reap Record Amounts

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                   Contact: Collin Nash or Sid Nathan
April 18, 2011                                                                                                                                                              (516) 869-7794

Town of North Hempstead’s Pharmaceutical Take-Back Event Continues to Reap Record Amounts
 

Manhasset, NY—As prescription drug abuse continues to plague the region, Supervisor Jon Kaiman announced that North Hempstead’s drug take-back program has repeatedly reaped eye-opening amounts of unwanted pharmaceuticals.

The most recent prescription drop off event at Tully Park in New Hyde Park collected 560 pounds of prescription drugs, 200 pounds of which were narcotics.

“With prescription drug abuse on the rise, we urge all residents to go through their home medicine cabinets and take advantage of this opportunity to safely dispose of their unwanted and expired prescription drugs at our drop off locations,” Supervisor Kaiman said.

According to a 2009 survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescription drug abuse is triggering cause for concern, with 20% of teens saying they have taken pharmaceuticals of kind or another without a doctor's prescription.

At the same time, drug addiction experts contend that abuse of narcotics such as painkillers are a gateway to illegal street drugs such as heroin. Observers point to developments such as a recent spate of gun-point holdups at area pharmacies which were robbed of prescription drugs as an indication of the seriousness of prescription drug abuse.

In the fall of 2009, the Town of North Hempstead became first municipality in Nassau County to host a drug disposal event. Since then, the program, which is conducted in partnership with Nassau County Police Department, has netted increasing amounts of unwanted pharmaceuticals the four-times a year take-back event.

Deputy Commissioner William Flanagan of the Nassau County Police Department the events have been a success from a number of stand points.

“For one,” he said, public awareness has been raised about the dangers of keeping outdated or unwanted prescription drugs in homes. And for another, we know that the penetration of the message, as evidenced by the increasing amounts of prescription drugs dropped off, has been successful.”

Call 311 for information about upcoming pharmaceutical take-back events.
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