Community Coalition hosts 5th Medication Collection Event

Cortland Area Communities That Care Coalition Rx Task Force is eager to collect more prescription and over-the-counter medication in the 5th collection event scheduled on Saturday, April 28th from 9am – 1pm at the Cortland Regional Training Center (behind the Cortlandville Fire Department), 999 Rt. 13, Cortland.

This event is the 5th drug collection event to be held in Cortland County since 2010. Previous collections in Cortland County have brought in over 2,000 pounds of prescription medication and 44 different types of narcotics.

“This event has really become something the community embraces and plans for in advance. Many people have a need for disposing of their medications safely and easily; this event provides just that.” says Kimberly McRae Friedman, Executive Director of Cortland Prevention Resources (formerly Seven Valleys Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Inc.) and Chair of the Rx Task-Force.

The Task Force ensures a safe, user-friendly, drive-thru event. To drop-off medication vehicles will enter the Cortlandville Fire Department parking lot using the Tompkins Street entrance. A volunteer will collect their medications in a bin and take it to a secure location. Residents are asked to not get out of their vehicles for safety purposes. The Cortland County Sheriff’s Department and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are on-site at all times to ensure the safety of the event.

CACTC created the task force over three years ago to address the growing concern for unused prescription and over-the-counter medication. In an effort to get these medications off the streets, the task force will hold annual household pharmaceutical collection events. The next event is already scheduled for April 28th, 2012. This initiative is important because decreasing accessibility to medication can help protect the community water supply, the youth and the elderly from the harms of intended or unintentional use and abuse.

The take back is broadly supported with over a dozen community agencies partnering to make the event a success. Volunteers from the Cortlandville Fire Department and RSVP assist during the operation. The Task Force encourages all individuals to secure and manage their medications by locking them securely in a lock box. If that is not possible then keeping a record of your medications and identifying the quantity of medication in containers is the next best alternative.

For additional information contact Kimberly McRae Friedman @ 607-756-8970 ext. 1 or www.cortlandareactc.org or www.cortlandprevention.org