Basking Ridge To Host Medication Drop Off Drive Thru

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Bernards Township Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse and Bernards Township Police Department are holding the Township’s fifth annual Medication Drop Off Drive Thru on Saturday, March 10.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., residents can drive up to the police department front driveway and drop off their unused medications without having to leave their vehicle. All residents will be given literature on local substance abuse education programs.

“In the past few years there has been a growing trend in our country known as the ‘pills to heroin’ epidemic where people who are addicted to prescription pain killers and other opiates move on to heroin because of the cheapness and availability of the drug. If we can keep the unused medications from sitting around in people’s cabinets, the better chance we can keep heroin out of our community," says Community Program Coordinator and Municipal Alliance Grant Coordinator, Kaitlin Cartoccio.

“Leftover medicines pose serious safety and health threats and also raise environmental concerns. Prescription-drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States. Among youth, seven of the top 10 abused substances are pharmaceuticals. Additionally, medicines flushed down the drain or toilet can contaminate water supplies, harm wildlife and end up in drinking-water supplies.”

• Medications can be dropped off in their original containers.
• Participants can black out or remove labels with names on all prescription packages or bottles.
• These medications can be unused, expired, over the counter, or prescription.
• Only solid medications, pills, patches, inhalers or similar objects can be accepted.
• Liquids, medical waste, oxygen tanks, needles, and syringes cannot be accepted.
• Participants are welcome to put multiple medication bottles or boxes into a bag or hand them over individually.
• Do not drop off any unused toiletries or garbage.

For more information and instructions on how to dispose of liquids and needles can be found at njconsumeraffairs.gov/meddrop.

Signs will be posted at 1 Collyer Lane on the day of the Drive Thru. Participants should follow the signs to the police department where Municipal Alliance members and Bernards Township Police Officers will be standing.

The Drop Off Box that is located at the Bernards Township Police Department is always open for drop off Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. To drop off at other times, call the Bernards Township non-emergency line at 908-766-1122.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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