This message of #WeeklyWisdom is brought to you by Moira McJury, Prevention Coordinator with Alcohol & Council of Tompkins County. This week’s message focuses on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day focuses on providing an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug abuse, addiction, and overdose, addressing a crucial public safety and public health issue. While drug take back sites are available in a number of places year-round, this day aims to raise awareness about the severity of the prescription drug abuse problem in the US. Per the DEA’s 2017 National Drug Threat Assessment, more people report abusing controlled prescription drugs than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined. That puts prescription drugs only second behind marijuana when it comes to illicit drug use. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs; a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

All of this data makes one thing very clear: it is vital that anyone with prescription drugs in their home ensure that these drugs are secured safely and disposed of when expired or no longer needed. If you are in or around Tompkins County, drug take back boxes can be found in the following locations:

Ithaca Police Department, Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

120 E. Clinton St. Ithaca, NY

607-272-9973
Tompkins County Probation Department, by appointment only

320 W. MLK/State St., Ithaca, NY

607-274-5367
Cayuga Heights Police Department, Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-4:30 PM