'Shed the Meds' Event To Be Held at Deer Park High School

Keeping prescription medications out of the hands of people who might be tempted to abuse them has become a priority of police and community leaders and in that vein Suffolk County Legis. Lou D’Amaro, D-North Babylon and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department are hosting another area "Shed the Meds" event on Friday evening, according to a statement released by the legislator's office.  

From 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 27 residents from neighboring communities can dispose of medications that they are not using at Deer Park High School, no questions asked. The idea behind the event is to not only prevent abusers from getting to the medications but to also keep these potentially hazardous chemicals from from the groundwater if they are just thrown away.

This event mimics a previous one held at the North Babylon Public Library recently where two Suffolk County deputy sheriffs were at the library for two hours accepting the medications.

Medications can also be brought to any Suffolk County police precinct, 24-hours a day for placement in anonymous drop boxes, according to the statement. In order to make the anonymous drop, the medications police ask that they be removed from their prescription bottles and placed in a plastic bag. Local drop-off locations are at the First Precinct on Route 109 in West Babylon and 

at the Second Precinct at 1071 Park Avenue in Huntington.

Legis. D’Amaro thanked the Sheriff’s Department and the venues for hosting the events. He also thanked the people who came out to participate in the event.

“I continue to remain committed to protecting both our residents and the environment by offering these programs to ensure safe disposal of unwanted medications,” he said.