Hempstead collects 30 pounds of drugs

The Hempstead Village Police Department collected nearly 30 pounds of prescription drugs from village residents on April 30, the second National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, village officials announced Wednesday.

Village Mayor Wayne J. Hall Sr. and Police Chief Joseph Wing said the drug collection, held at police headquarters, is part of an ongoing effort to minimize drug use in the village and increase the community’s safety.

“Hempstead Police aided in not only removing these potentially dangerous drugs from our homes, but also educated concerned citizens about the dangers of prescription drug abuse,” Hall said in a statement. “Many thanks to the residents who participated in this effort to make the Village of Hempstead a safer place.”

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that more than 376,593 pounds of unwanted or expired medications were turned in at 5,361 take-back sites across the country.

People often flush unused medicines down the toilet or throw them in the garbage, Hall said, a practice that can endanger the environment and increase the likelihood that drugs may end up in the hands of children or drug abusers.