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NEW YORK (AP) — Officials are encouraging New Yorkers who want to de-clutter their medicine cabinets to take advantage of prescription drug drop-off sites around the state Saturday.
The state Department of Health's website lists hundreds of drop boxes statewide. Residents are particularly encouraged to use them from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, as part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
During a similar nationwide event in April, Americans turned in more than 780,000 pounds of prescription drugs.
The idea is to provide a safe, proper way to dispose of unneeded medications.
Officials say many prescription drug abusers obtain pills from friends and relatives' medicine cabinets. And the Health Department says disposing of medications via the trash or the toilet can create health and safety hazards.
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Online:
New York State Department of Health list of drug drop-off sites: http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/narcotic/medication\_drop\_boxes/
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