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The prescription medications were collected at the Somers Town House during a “Shed the Meds” event in June and taken away for safe disposal at a county facility, Murphy said.
The Hudson Valley is currently struggling with an epidemic of opioid abuse, which, authorities say, often starts with prescription pain medications. In the neighboring town of North Salem, for instance, there have been three recent reports of drug overdoses, Murphy said.
Because anyone, especially children, can get into medicine cabinets and trash cans, getting rid of medication by tossing it in the garbage is not an option, said Town Supervisor Rick Morrissey. Neither is flushing it down the drain because, he said, of the “vulnerable nature of the watershed area.”
Somers police also run a “Drug Lock Box,” said Police Chief Michael Driscoll. Unused and expired prescription drugs can be dropped off at the Somers Police Department at 100 Primrose St. (Rte. 139) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. No needles or liquids are collected, he said.
For more information, call (914)-232-9622.
“We’ve been collecting medications at our headquarters for quite some time at a rate of about 30 pounds a month, so we know there’s a need for this program and we’re proud to do it,” Driscoll said.
Murphy said he plans to host additional prescription drop-off programs throughout the summer across his 40th Senate District.
Crediting cooperation between the town, police, and Somers’ “Partners in Prevention” group, Murphy said the goal was to “raise awareness of the dangers that are in our medicine cabinets and offer a safe place to dispose of them.”
“Removing more than 150 pounds of prescription drugs clearly shows what a success this event was," he concluded.
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