The Cortland County’s Sheriff Office and fire departments plan a drug take-back event Sept. 28, five months after the sheriff withdrew from the last planned take-back event because of disagreement over addiction services messaging about safe drug use.
The Sept. 28 event will be at three locations – fire departments in Cincinnatus and Cortlandville, and at the village green/high school in Marathon. The Cortlandville event will be from 9 a.m. to noon; the others will be staffed from 9 to 11 a.m.
Each event will be staffed as a drive-through event to make it as efficient as possible for people to safely dispose of medications that are unused or expired, or that people are unsure about. The events cannot accept medications in liquid form, nor can they accept “sharps” – hypodermic needles used for treatment of diabetes and similar conditions.
Partnering with the sheriff’s office in the Sept. 28 event are fire departments in Cincinnatus, Cortlandville, Marathon and the Marathon Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
The sheriff’s office, the Cortland Police Department and the police department at the State University of New York at Cortland have permanent disposal kiosks that are available around the clock.
“That ensures that county residents can dispose of medications safely at any time,” Helms said.
The Homer Police Department at 43 James St. has a kiosk available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Locations of around-the-clock drop boxes:
•Cortland City Police Department, 25 Court St., Cortland.
•Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, 54 Greenbush St., Cortland.
•SUNY Cortland Police Department in Whitaker Hall, 4 Pashley Drive, Cortland.
Helms had notified Cortland County residents by letter in April that, after participating in drug take-back events since 2010, that his office would not participate in last April’s event.
Helms said then he disagreed with a partner agency, the Rural Health Institute, about the institute’s messaging on harm reduction, which included advice on safe use, if one is going to use drugs, such as using when friends or family are present.
The event, Rural Health Institute Executive Director Matt Whitman said in April, has collected more than 30,000 pounds of medication from more than 6,800 participants.
Neither returned calls this week seeking comment.
– Doug Schneider
