Sheriff's drug take-back nets 200 pounds

YATES, SCHUYLER COUNTIES--Both the Yates and Schuyler County Sheriff's Departments took part in the National Drug Take-Back Day Saturday, April 30. This event is in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and collects expired, unwanted or unused medications from the community with no questions asked.
Sergeant Diana DeKay and Officer Pam Housel both conducted the Yates County drug take-back Saturday, noting they conduct two of these events every year. The Yates collection site was located at the rear of the Yates County Courthouse in Penn Yan, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
DeKay noted they saw some 23 people bring their unwanted drugs in within the first half-hour of the collection. She said they will usually see around 100 people throughout the day, with Sheriff Ron Spike estimating they collected around 200 pounds of drugs Saturday from 85 people. DeKay said they tend to average around 300 pounds of drugs during each collection, adding it is "a pretty consistent stream" of people who attend each take-back day.
The sergeant said the collection is for all medication, which includes over the counter drugs as well as prescriptions. DeKay added they do not inspect what is dropped off by individuals, the DEA will pick up what is gathered for incineration at the conclusion of the day.
"I have no idea what is in the bag," DeKay said. "I don't ask. It all goes in a steel box and the DEA comes and takes care of it."
DeKay noted there are also 24/7 drop-off sites for unwanted drugs at the Yates County Sheriff's Office in Penn Yan, as well as the Starkey Town Hall in Dundee.
In Schuyler County, there were two take-back sites available for residents at both the Tyrone and Odessa Fire Stations. D.H. Walker was on duty in Tyrone, noting within the first half-hour of the event, they collected almost 50 pounds of unwanted medication from between eight and 10 people. Sheriff William Yessman estimated a couple hundred pounds were collected across both sites throughout the day.
"It's absolutely no questions asked," Walker said. "We just want to get any and everything off the streets."
Walker noted they can collect anything as simple as over the counter aspirin to Fentanyl patches and cancer medications.
"There can be some pretty heavy duty pain relievers in there," Walker added.
When it comes to illicit drugs, Walker said he has never had any brought in, adding he is not sure what the response would be in that situation.
"That would be interesting, the reaction, if you were bringing in marijuana or illegal drugs," Walker said. "That's against the law, so I guess I would have to act on that, wouldn't I? It has never been presented to me so I do not know how I would react to that."
Walker said the events can range in participation every six months. He noted last fall, he had only three people come in with approximately four or five pounds. Within the first few hours of Saturday's take-back, they had already exceeded that amount. He noted he is often surprised as to how much medication gets prescribed in advance that ends up out of circulation. Walker said the DEA will collect the unused drugs at the end of the day and take them to their facility for incineration. Walker also noted there is a 24/7 drug drop box in the sheriff's office in Watkins Glen as well for disposal between the twice-yearly events.
"When I see this here, I'll never know how so many boxes of Albuterol, I believe it is, has been prescribed for someone so far ahead," Walker said.