55°
The addition will be formally welcomed during an "Operation Take Back New Jersey" news conference at police headquarters with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, at 12:30 p.m. Friday.
Other speakers will include Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino, state Assemblymen Tim Eustace and Joseph Lagana, and Angelo Valente, executive director of Partnership for a Drug Free NJ.
Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
More than 100 police departments, sheriff’s offices and State Police in New Jersey allow citizens to dispose of prescription drugs anonymously, no questions asked, any time of day.
The medication can either be disposed of in its original container or can be removed from its container and placed in the disposal box.
Liquid products should be disposed of in its original container with the cap tightly sealed, to prevent leakage, police say.
No syringes.
Before this, most people flushed their unused prescription drugs down the toilet, threw them in the trash, or kept them in the household medicine cabinet. This contaminated the water supply, helped start and feed habits — often for children — and tempted thieves.
Authorities warn that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
New Jersey last year had nearly 6,700 admissions to state-licensed or certified substance abuse treatment programs due to prescription drug abuse, an increase of nearly 300% over the past decade.
Covanta Energy, a nationwide operator of energy-from-waste and renewable energy facilities, destroys the dropped-off medications from across New Jersey at no cost to taxpayers or to the participating police departments.
CALL your local police department for the nearest medication dropbox.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Bergenfield and receive free news updates.
