United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NEW YORK – After collecting a total of more than 9.9 million pounds (nearly 5,000 tons) of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications during 15 previous events over the past eight years, the Drug Enforcement Administration expects to reach a total of 10 million pounds collected following the upcoming fall 2018 Take back event. DEA and its national, tribal and community partners will hold the 16th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day across the country on Saturday, October 27. The service is free and anonymous.

“The first step in keeping your house drug-free, is by talking to your children and loved ones about the dangers of drug use and abuse,” said James J. Hunt, DEA Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division.  “This program is an additional tool in the fight against drug abuse, which enables New Yorkers a safe and convenient way to dispose of unnecessary medication that lurks in their homes.  I would also like to thank our law enforcement partners who host collection sites throughout New York and are on the front lines in the battle against opioid abuse plaguing the nation.” 

“We know that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet,” said Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “If we reduce the availability of those unused or expired medications through proper disposal, the fewer drugs there are to be misused, and fewer people will be at risk for abuse, addiction, overdose, and even death.”

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative addresses a critical public safety and public health issue. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States continue to be alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Because the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration have advised the public that flushing their prescription drugs down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards, DEA launched its prescription drug take back program to encourage the safe disposal of medications.

National Take Back Day has received robust public support since its inception in 2010. Last April, the public turned in 456 tons (912,305 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,700 of its local and tribal partners.

This weekend, more than 5,400 collection sites manned by more than 4,400 partner law enforcement agencies will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps.) 

In New York, there are over 200 collection sites in New York.   The following law enforcement agencies have partnered with DEA on efforts to collect unused, expired or unwanted medications on October 27, 2018:  Albany Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Amherst Police Department, Evans Police Department, North Castle Police Department, Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department, Auburn Police Department, Cayuga County Sheriff’s Department, Baldwinsville Police Department, Clarkstown Police Department, Batavia Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Department, Southhampton Town Police Department, Lakawanna Police Department, Buffalo Police Department, Town of Hamburg Police Department,  Cairo Police Department, Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Schodack Police Department, Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department, Cazenovia Police Department, Chatham Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, Chittenango Police Department, Cicero Police Department, Albany County Sheriff’s Office, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Kirkland Police Department, Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, Coxsackie Police Department,  Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department, Bethlehem Police Department, Depew Police Department, Village of Dobbs Ferry Police Department, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department, Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, Dewitt Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Department, Freeport Police Department, Fulton Police Department, Garden City Police Department, Haverstraw Police Department, Gouverneur Police Department, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Success Police Department, Floral Park Police Department, Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, Guilderland Police Department, Hamburg Police Department, Village of Hastings on Hudson Police Department, Hempstead Police Department, Herkimer Police Department, Herkimer County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Hoosick Falls Police Department, Ilion Police Department, Ithaca Police Department, Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, Broome County Sheriff’s Department, Johnstown Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Tonawanda Police Department, Kings Point Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Lancaster Police Department, Colonie Police Department, Leroy Police Department, Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Long Beach Police Department, Lynbrook Police Department, Village of Malone Police Department, Malverne Police Department, Massena Police Department, Cayuga County Sheriff’s Department, Westchester County Police Department, New Hartford Police Department, New Paltz Police Department, Town of Niagara Police Department, Town of Niskayuna Police Department, North Collins Police Department, North Tonawanda Police Department, Rockland County Police Department, Ogdensburg Police Department, Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department, Orchard Park Police Department, Village of Ossining Police Department, Oswego Police Department, Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, Plattsburgh Police Department, Port Washington Police Department, Sands Point Police Department, Potsdam Police Department, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, Pulaski Police Department, Albany County Sheriff’s Office, Rensselaer City Police Department, East Greenbush Police Department, Village of Rhinebeck Police Department, Rome Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department, St. Johnsville Police Department, Saratoga Police Department, Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office, Scotia Police Department, Sherrill Police Department, Sidney Police Department, Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, Spring Valley Police Department, Erie County Sheriff’s Office,  Stony Point Police Department, Oyster Bay Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Ticondergoa Police Department, North Greenbush Police Department, Troy Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Vestal Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Watervliet Police Department,  West Seneca Police Department, West Hampton Beach Police Department and the New York City Police Department- 50th Precinct, 42nd  Precinct, 46th  Precinct, 48th  Precinct, 45th  Precinct, 68th  Precinct, 61st  Precinct, 78th  Precinct, 84th  Precinct, 90th  Precinct, 33rd  Precinct, 26th  Precinct, 13th  Precinct, 7th  Precinct, 25th  Precinct, 20th  Precinct, 10th Precinct, 103rd Precinct, 112th  Precinct, 100th  Precinct, 90th  Precinct, 122nd  Precinct, 120th  Precinct, and 123rd  Precinct. 

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