Saturday marked National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, allowing Long Island residents the chance to get potentially dangerous prescription drugs out of their homes. 

Expired or leftover pills were disposed at nearly a dozen locations on Long Island, as part of a nationwide effort to educate the public on how to discard medications safely. 

"More than 70% of the folks who are addicted to opioids didn't get it from a drug dealer in a dark alley. They got it from their families medicine cabinet," said Jeffrey Reynolds, Director of Family and Children's Association Long Island. "That's why events like today are so critical to keeping people safe."

Reynolds says Long Island has been hit hard by opioid crisis. He says the pandemic and the rise in mental health issues has only made things worse.

"These kinds of events are really helping to bring to the forefront to families the importance of the dangers of prescription drugs when they are not prescribed to you," added Cathy Samuels of the Massapequa Takes Action Coalition.