In what is being billed at the latest effort to combat the heroin epidemic, Nassau County is holding an Anonymous Drug Disposal Program on Sept. 12 for residents to clean out their medicine cabinets and drop off any unwanted drugs so that their kids won’t abuse them.
“Many of our youth begin their unfortunate journey to heroin addiction by first sharing pharmaceuticals stolen from the medicine cabinets of their home or the home of another,” said Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi. 
At the heroin summit last month in Nassau, it was announced that the number of heroin deaths in the county has hit a record number with 20 deaths in the first six months of this year alone. The goal is to eliminate these unwanted, unused and/or expired medications from homes to protect young people, who often start on the path to heroin by abusing pills such as Vicodin, Oxycodone and Percocet. Studies by the Partnership for a Drug Free America found that “1 in 5 teenagers abused a prescription pain medication; 1 in10 report abusing prescription stimulants, and 1 in 10 abused cough medicines.”
“We are urging all residents to go through their home medicine cabinets and take advantage of this opportunity to safely dispose of their unwanted, unused, expired and/or illicit drugs at any of our drop off locations,” said Nassau police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey. The locations include any of the eight precincts and one location in the Town of North Hempstead, which held a similar program in June with successful results. More than 400 pounds of medication and 125 vials of narcotics were collected.
“With prescription drug abuse among teens being touted as a gateway to the use of heroin and other illegal drugs, the recognition by state and local governments that there needs to be a more consistent response to the abuse of dangerous pharmaceuticals couldn’t be more timely,” said Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman.
In addition to being a substance abuse issue, the improper disposal of unused, unwanted and expired pharmaceuticals has emerged as a complex environmental issue. Flushing expired and leftover medications down the toilet, washing them down sinks or dumping them in the trash that goes to the landfill is commonplace but studies found that those means of disposal can result in the chemicals making their way into the drinking water.
Medications accepted at the program include pain killers, tranquilizers, anti-depressants, antibiotics, over-the-counter medications, pet medications, vitamins, supplements, inhalers and more. Drugs should be in their original containers if possible, and if not placed in zip loc bags that are labeled. All drop off will remain anonymous. Items/Drugs that will not be accepted include: needles and syringes, IV bags, infectious waste, pharmaceutical waste not generated by households, radioactive pharmaceuticals and vaccines.
The program will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:
First Precinct: 900 Merrick Road, Baldwin
Second Precinct: 7700 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury
Third Precinct: 214 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park
Fourth Precinct: 1699 Broadway, Hewlett
Fifth Precinct: 1655 Dutch Broadway, Elmont
Sixth Precinct:100 Community Drive, Manhasset
Seventh Precinct: 3636 Merrick Road, Seaford
Eighth Precinct: 286 Wantagh Avenue, Levittown
Town of North Hempstead residents: Senator Michael J. Tully, Jr. Park, 1801 Evergreen Avenue, New Hyde Park
