75 lbs. of prescription drugs dropped off in Yates

Penn Yan, NY – Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike reports that his office did participate Saturday September 25, 2010 with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in the prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative collecting expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction. Deputies and a DEA Agent received medications from 10:00 AM to 2:00PM at the rear of the Yates County Court House in Penn Yan. The service was free and confidential.The Yates County community did stop by and deputies collected 75 ½ pounds of prescriptions meds filling almost 4 thirty gallon trash bags during the four hour period. All drugs collected were taken by the DEA for immediate destruction.”This partnership with DEA was important for the community as our goal was to prevent increased pill abuse, misuse and theft, while addressing a vital pubic safety, public health issue, and preventing the environmental issue of flushing drugs down the toilet” said Sheriff Spike, “Offering such a first time program was important and we hope to do this biannually and are looking at planning it again for next spring.”