Sites in Suffolk County to accept unused, expired prescription drugs

Local residents are being urged to donate or safely discard unused or expired prescription medication to deter drug abuse.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Agency are hosting the 25th annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day in Hauppauge, Sayville and Hampton Bays on Saturday.

Residents can turn in medication at the district attorney’s office in Hauppauge and Southampton or at the Community Ambulance Company in Sayville.

Unwanted medication and controlled substances can be dropped off, not including any liquids or needles, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 725 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge and from noon to 2 p.m. at 32 Jackson Avenue in Hampton Bays, district attorney and Suffolk sheriff's office officials said.

Unused medication and capped safe needles can be donated in Sayville at 420 Lakeland Avenue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Sayville event is hosted by the DEA, Islip town officials, elected officials including Rep. Andrew Garbarino, Northwell Health and the Great South Bay Coalition.

Officials said the goal of the event is to deter accidental poisoning or prescription drug and opioid abuse. DEA officials said prescription drug abuse is the second most common drug abuse behind marijuana abuse. The officials also said the majority of teenagers who abuse drugs get them from either home medicine cabinets or from family and friends.

Unused drugs should be disposed safely and not be thrown away or flushed down the toilet, which can contaminate the water supply.

Additional information is available at www.dea.gov/takebackday.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.