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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Allegany County: Prescription Drug Take Back Event Successful



Pictured left to right: Erika Kreamer of the Friendship Police Department, Jones Memorial Hospital Pharmacist Kerry Clark, Executive Director of ACASA Bill Penman and PPAC Coordinator Jon Chaffee.
Friendship and Fillmore, NY – This past Saturday, October 28, was the Drug Enforcement Administration’s second National Prescription Drug Take Back of 2017. Like so many communities across the country, Allegany County had two locations at the Friendship Ambulance Squad and Fillmore Pharmacy where community members could drop off unwanted or unused medications.
The pill drop events have been taking place in Allegany County since 2008. This has been a partnership between the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, the Allegany Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Inc.(ACASA), and Partners for Prevention in Allegany County(PPAC). “These events are an outlet for community members to get rid of old or unused medications in a safe manner,” said Coalition Coordinator Jon Chaffee. “We hear from people all the time that they are so grateful for these events because they did not know what to do with their unused medications otherwise,” said Chaffee.
This year, 32 cars participated, for a total of 148 pounds of medications turned in, which included 1259 pills and 1000 milliliters of controlled substances.  The street value of these controlled substances is estimated at well over $15,000. “Utilizing the DEA’s Take Back Day twice a year allows us to reach out to communities without pill drop boxes and help educate the community about proper disposal of medications,” said Undersheriff Kevin Monroe.
Allegany County has seven pill drop boxes throughout the county at: Alfred State University Police, the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office in Belmont, Cuba Police Department, Fillmore Pharmacy, Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville, Jones Memorial Medical Practice in Bolivar, and Wellsville Police Department. “Pill Drop boxes throughout the county are an asset and are being used quite often,” said Monroe.

The group would like to also thank the Fillmore Pharmacy, Friendship Police, and volunteers from Jones Memorial Hospital for partnering with them on making the Take Back Day a successful one. For more information on Take Back Day or pill drop box locations, please visit www.ppaccentral.org.