The opioid epidemic is devastating communities across America. According to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, deaths from opioids have increased 200% between 2010 and 2015 in Westchester. More Americans die from drug overdoses than in car crashes, and this increasing trend is driven by prescription painkillers.
In 2012, the Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK) and the Yorktown Police Department (YPD) teamed up to install a permanent Prescription Drug Disposal Unit in Yorktown. To date, the Unit has since collected 3,160lbs of drugs from the medicine cabinets of local residents – that is averaging out to be 62lbs per month. The most recent disposal of prescription and over-the-counter drugs amounted to 326lbs, which was collected during the months of July and August.
“As a community coalition that works with all sectors in Yorktown, ASK is grateful to partner with the YPD as we share awareness and the opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted prescription drugs. More than 70 percent of young people abusing prescription pain relievers get them through friends or family, a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet. Safely disposing of expired or unused prescription medicine is a critical step in helping protect our youth.”
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SK is encouraging those who would like to safely dispose of prescription or over-the-counter medications to consider making a visit to the YPD – the Unit is located right in the lobby. You can empty all your tablets, capsules and patches into a bag for drop off. You cannot drop off liquids, needles or syringes.
Safely disposing of expired or unused prescription medications is a critical step in helping protect our youth. The collection site is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Drugs can be dropped off with no questions asked