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Story:
New York City (9/25/2010) - New Yorkers looking to clean out their medicine cabinets in a safe way were given the opportunity Saturday by taking part in the first-ever National Drug Take-Back Day.
For the first time ever, residents could turn in prescription drugs that have expired or are no longer needed at 120 locations across the five boroughs, Westchester and Long Island. Prescription drugs are drugs given to people by a doctor.
Officials with the New York City Police Department and Drug Enforcement Agency collected the medications to make sure they are disposed of correctly.
Officers say eliminating the unwanted drugs prevents them from being stolen, abused or taken by accident.
"I bet lots of people have years old drugs just doing nothing, and what if kids ate them," said one participant.
Agents and prosecutors say that is part of the problem. Some kids do ingest the medicines – and not always by accident. Sixty-two percent of teenagers who use drugs for recreation get them from someone's home.
"Clearly we need to look in our medicine cabinets and get rid of those drugs that might be attractive to teens looking to bring them to what they call ‘pharm parties,’ where everybody brings their prescription pills and everybody shares them, sometimes with deadly results,” said Bridget Brennan, an NYC special narcotics prosecutor.
Officials say the take-back is also safer than flushing expired medicine down the drain, as evidence now shows discarded prescription drugs can seep into the environment.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What is Drug Take Back day?
4) How many places could you drop off your old prescription drugs?
5) What are prescription drugs?
6) What is a 'pharm party"?
7) Why is it dangerous to leave old prescription drugs in your medicine cabinet?
Info and video from NY1
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