LI hospitals, DEA holding drug 'take-back' day

As part of a national effort to cut prescription pill abuse or theft, the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System is joining state and local police in the first nationwide prescription drug "take-back" day.

On Sept. 25 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at more than 3,500 sites throughout the country - including 35 on Long Island - people can drop off their unused or expired drugs, anonymously, no questions asked.

Intravenous solutions, injectables and needles won't be accepted.

Studies show most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, one of the sponsors of the nationwide initiative.

Many Americans don't know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing it down the toilet or throwing it away, the DEA said.

"It's becoming a big problem. More and more medications are getting dumped in the water supply and you are actually starting to see measurable effects," said Leigh Briscoe-Dwyer, corporate director of pharmacy contracting at North Shore-LIJ.

The presence of synthetic estrogens and antibiotics in the water have been associated with physiological changes in some aquatic life.

"Phishing and pharming" parties among teenagers are also becoming increasingly popular as kids gather up leftover drugs from their parents' medicine cabinets, she said.

For those who can't participate in the take-back day, Briscoe-Dwyer advised that people throw away their unneeded or expired drugs in the garbage, but should first "destroy their integrity" by mixing them with substances like kitty litter or coffee grounds to make them unrecognizable.

People should also remove or black out labels, she said. If you have any questions about how to dispose of a drug, call your local pharmacist, she said.

Local communities and law-enforcement agencies, such as the Nassau County Police Department, have held several similar prescription drug collection efforts in recent years.

Katie Grilli-Robles, a Nassau police spokeswoman, said it was an "important" initiative.

"We see this as a benefit in the fight against heroin," she said.

Stony Brook University Medical Center will also participate in the program at the Setauket Fire House.

Suffolk County has an ongoing initiative called "Operation Medicine Cabinet." A police department spokeswoman said bins for to dispose of unwanted pills - no liquids or needles - are set up in the lobbies in all seven police precincts and are available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information on North Shore-LIJ collection locations call 516-465-2535 or visit northshorelij.com. For other area collection sites, go to dea.gov.