Carmel PD now has a permanent MedReturn Drug Collection Unit
Citizens looking to dispose of excess and expired prescription and over-the-counter medications can now visit the safe and secure permanent drop off location at Carmel Police Department, 60 McAlpin Avenue, Mahopac.
The Carmel Police Department has partnered with the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition to establish a permanent MedReturn drug collection program in order to reduce the supply of drugs that can potentially harm teens and adults.
According to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), more than six million Americans abuse prescription drugs. Among youth who are 12 to 17 years old, 7.4 percent report past year non-medical use of prescription drugs. In addition, prescription drug abuse has led to an increase in heroin use in the past several years.
Properly disposing of excess drugs is everyone’s responsibility as a matter of public safety. 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. Now Kent citizens won’t have to wait for a specific take-back day to clean out their medicine cabinets.
The collection site is open every day 24/7. The following will NOT be accepted: syringes, lancets, or any type of sharp, or liquids.
The drug collection unit is produced by MedReturn, LLC of Grafton, WI. MedReturn, LLC is committed to providing a safe, secure and environmentally friendly way to help law enforcement agencies and communities collect unwanted or expired household medication, including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs and unused pharmaceuticals.
