Senator Murphy, Mt. Kisco Team Up To Shed The Meds

August 17, 2018

Mt. Kisco, NY - Prescription drug abuse has ruined families and threatened communities. According to census data, more than 2.6 million people in Americas are raising their grandkids. The opioid crisis is a contributing factor, forcing grandparents to face the daunting task of caring for young, vulnerable children with little financial support while trying to cope with their adult offspring's addiction.

Many prescription drug abusers point to their parent's or their own medicine cabinets as the place where their addiction began. To combat the rising instances of drug abuse in our communities, Senator Terrence Murphy created "Shed the Meds," a prescription drop-off program. The program helps residents dispose of their outdated prescription drugs and keeps children, adults, and seniors safe. On August 16, Senator Murphy partnered with the Village of Mt.Kisco, the Westchester County Police Department, and the Mt. Kisco Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Council to host a Shed the Meds program at the Fox Senior Center.

"Mount Kisco is another important stop in our summer Shed the Meds program as we continue to help people get rid of the potentially dangerous drugs they've been keeping on their homes," said Senator Murphy. "Since the program began, we have taken more than 5,000 pounds of drugs off the streets, helping to protect hard-working families and our precious natural resources."

Isidoro Albanese, Mt. Kisco Board of Trustees stated, "I want to thank Senator Murphy and the Mt. Kisco Drug and Alcohol Prevention Council for coming to the Fox Senior Center and giving people the opportunity to make their homes safer. Getting rid of unused and expired prescription medicines through Shed the Meds or by bringing them to a designated drop-off site is important because it keeps these medicines from seeping into our landfills and drinking water, or getting into the hands of our children."

"When it comes to drug abuse, parents and guardians need to be the most educated persons in their families. They need to talk about what drugs do, the side effects of drugs, and how they are used or misused," said Mel Berger, Chairman of the Mt. Kisco Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Council. "I would like to thank Senator Murphy for putting this issue on the front burner. I hope other elected officials and towns will be as progressive as Senator Murphy and Mt. Kisco have been in fighting prescription drug addiction."

Dates and locations for future Shed the Meds Programs:
Somers - Tuesday, August 28 at Somers Police Department, 100 Primrose Street, Route 139 Somers.