A permanent prescription-drug drop box, sponsored by the Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK) and the Yorktown Police Department, has been installed at police headquarters at 2281 Crompond Road.
The box, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, will allow residents to safely dispose of unused, unwanted and expired prescription and over-the-counter medication.
“Prescription drug abuse is increasing at alarming rates, especially for young adults,” said Lisa Tomeny, executive director of ASK. “The numbers speak for themselves.”
In 2011, 2.4 million Americans abused prescription drugs for the first time, one-third of whom were teenagers. According to the Center for Disease Control, prescription drug abuse results in one death every 19 minutes in the United States, which it considers “an epidemic.”
“ASK and the Yorktown Police Department have been participating in the national take-back days, but we wanted to provide a safe and secure place where our community could go at any time to dispose of prescription drugs and not have to wait for months or for a particular day,” Tomeny said.
Meanwhile, Yorktown High School student Samantha Greene, as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, has launched a community awareness campaign to inform teens and adults about the dangers of prescription drug misuse.