Medication Take Back Day – A Huge Success

On Saturday October 28th, over 85 Putnam County residents came to the Putnam Hospital Center to participate in the Putnam Communities That Care (CTC) Coalition’s Medication Take Back Day. The event, which is co-sponsored by the Putnam Hospital Center, the Department of Health and the Sheriff’s Office, collected over 300 pounds of unused or expired medications. “Keeping these medications out of the water supply as well as out of the hands of potential abusers makes this day so important”, says Kristin McConnell, the Executive Director of the Prevention Council of Putnam and co-chair of the Putnam CTC Coalition. This year, the coalition also partnered with the DEA, who held its national take back day on the 28th.  “Not only did we get more media exposure but the DEA took and destroyed the medications for us.” Said Bruce Kelly, Coalition Coordinator for Putnam CTC.

The Putnam CTC Coalition holds this event bi-annually. However, for those people who cannot make the event, there are MedReturn boxes throughout Putnam County in the following locations: Carmel Police Department, Kent Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in Carmel, Philipstown Town Hall, Putnam Valley Town Hall, Patterson Town Hall, and in the lobby of the Kern Building in Brewster. The boxes in the police departments are open 24/7. In Philipstown and the Kern Building in Brewster, the box is open Monday - Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm and in Putnam Valley, the box is open Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm and in Patterson, the box is open Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00 pm. Those boxes can take all unused or expired prescription medications, OTC medicines, prescription ointments, pet medications and vitamins. They will not accept any needles, hydrogen peroxide, aerosol cans, lotions, liquids or IV bags.

For additional information, contact: Robert Morris of the Putnam County Health Department at 845-808-1390 ext. 43166 or Bruce Kelly of the Putnam CTC Coalition at 845-225-4646.

 

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Submitted by Brewster, NY

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