Monday, December 2, 2024
For over a decade, the Bellmore-Merrick Community Parent Center has hosted a “Shed the Meds” event at the Brookside School in North Merrick, in recognition of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which was observed this year on Oct. 26.
At the event, school administrators, teachers, parents and student volunteers, in partnership with the Bellmore-Merrick Community Coalition and local elected officials, accepted drive-through drop-offs of unused prescriptions, syringes and sharps.
The Community Parent Center is Bellmore-Merrick’s resource center for quality parent and community education programs. The community coalition specifically targets the illegal and underage use of alcohol, tobacco, prescriptions and other drugs among youth in the Bellmore-Merrick community.
“We’re getting drugs off the streets in a safe way,” Wendy Tepfer, director of the Community Parent Center told the Herald at a previous Shed the Meds event. “Each year we build upon our successes — we’re just thrilled we can help the community.”
National Drug Take Back Day is a country-wide movement, organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration and law enforcement partners.
Drug take back events are a response to the public health risk posed by unused prescription drugs, particularly opioids and other medications that could be misused or accidentally ingested. These events make it easy for people to rid their homes of potentially dangerous drugs without risking theft, misuse, or environmental harm.
Disposing of medications by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash can contaminate water supplies and harm wildlife.
Take back events ensure that medications are incinerated or otherwise processed in an environmentally safe way.
While policies vary, most drug take-back events accept prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and pet medications.
Many communities use these events to educate the public about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, safe storage of medications, and proper disposal practices.
The Community Parent Center runs informative events all year long, including Narcan trainings and additional programs that target drug use.
The Tempo Group, a nonprofit, community-based alcohol and drug rehabilitation center, is based at the Brookside School, which is also the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s headquarters.
The district and Community Parent Center frequently partners with the organization for education events and resources for students and families.
The group provides specialized adolescent treatment programs for teenagers who are experiencing difficulty managing their life due to substance abuse, and provides treatment in groups as well, among other services.
Tepfer, who’s led the Community Parent Center for over 20 years, said events like “Shed The Meds” aren’t possible without the support of student volunteers and the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.
“We do a lot of health and safety programs in Bellmore-Merrick,” she previously told the Herald “Wmake it so easy for people to drop off medications. Without the support of Bellmore-Merrick, this could not have happened.”
