(BINGHAMTON, NY) The Broome Opioid Awareness Council (BOAC), The Prevention Coalition of Broome County and Broome County Suicide Awareness for Everyone (BCSAFE) are teaming up to encourage community members to get rid of unused, expired, or unwanted medications in honor of the DEA’s National Drug Take Back Day. The national event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription and over-the-counter drugs, while also educating the public about the importance of prescription and medication safety.
The event will take place Saturday April 24th at the Broome County Health Department, at 225 Front Street in Binghamton from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents can drop off both prescription and over-the-counter medications, including patches and liquids. Community partners will provide education and resources regarding substance use disorders, mental health and suicide prevention, and veteran support. Free Deterra Drug Deactivation Bags and Rx Lock Boxes will also be available while supplies last. Deterra Bags are helpful for those that are not able to access a drop box location. Lock Boxes are used to safely store medications in the home to prevent misuse.
Narcan training will also be available at the event. Narcan is used to reverse an overdose of prescription pain medications such as morphine, codeine, methadone and Vicodin, and other opioid street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl. Those interested will learn about overdose prevention and how to correctly administer Narcan.
“Partnering with other coalitions and agencies to work on this complex public health issue takes a multi-faceted approach. We are pleased to host events like this and offer our community members the opportunity to properly dispose of prescription and over the counter medications, ultimately saving lives and helping those with substance use disorders” added Marissa Knapp, Opioid Overdose Prevention Coordinator.
Unwanted medications should NOT be flushed down the toilet or thrown in household trash as they can be found by others and contaminate the environment.
For those not able to attend this event, there are locations throughout Broome County that accept unwanted medications for proper handling:
Broome County Sheriff's Office (Administration Lobby)
155 Lt. VanWinkle Drive, Binghamton, NY
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Endicott Police Station (Lobby)
1101 Park Street, Endicott, NY
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Broome County Public Library (Front Bear Circulation Desk)
185 Court Street, Binghamton, NY
Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday & Saturday
Broome County Office Building (Lobby)
60 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
