'Operation Medicine Cabinet' Takes Drugs Off the Street

"Operation Medicine Cabinet," in which Rocklanders can drop off unwanted prescription drugs for safe disposal, continues Saturday at the Rockland County Sheriff's Headquarters in New City.

The program is designed to give Rockland residents a free way of disposing of old, unwanted or expired prescription medications. At the same time, the program keeps those prescription medications from getting into the hands of others who would sell the drugs or abuse them.

Drugs can be dropped off at the Sheriff's Department, 55 New Hempstead Road, New City, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Lt. Tony DeColyse.

Operation Medicine Cabinet is an ongoing program that involves police departments throughout Rockland County. The project was an outgrowth of local investigations that found Rockland young people, teens and even children had easy access to prescription drugs that could be abused or sold to others to abuse.

Police said old, or expired drugs are often left in unlocked home medicine cabinets and are not closely monitored - making them easy targets for theft, even by a loved one. Police advise Rocklanders to clean out their medicine cabinets, dispose of unwanted medications through Operation Medicine Cabinet and safeguard prescription drugs so they are not easily accessible to others.

There is no charge for dropping off medications, and Operation Medicine Cabinet has a "no questions asked" policy.