Police to Participate in 'Operation Take Back NJ'

Local police departments will be participating in the second annual statewide effort to collect unused, unwanted and expired medications.

Caldwell, North Caldwell and West Caldwell Police Departments will host collection sites for "Operation Take Back New Jersey" on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Police stations are located at 1 Provost Square, Caldwell; 136 Gould Ave., North Caldwell; and 21 Clinton Road, West Caldwell.

The effort is being spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) New Jersey Division, and most police departments in the state are participating.

"Last year, New Jersey opened its medicine cabinets and we collected over 9,000 pounds of medicine that was unwanted," stated John G. McCabe, Jr., acting special agent in charge of the DEA, New Jersey Division. "We hope all citizens will take time to eliminate any and all medicines that are not suitable for proper medical use.  The more public attention we bring to this issue, the more we trust that people will become educated on the dangers of prescription drug abuse."

According to a release from the West Caldwell Police Department, treatment admissions for prescription painkillers increased more than 400 percent between 1997 and 2007, as reported by the most recent studies by Monitoring the Future, University of Michigan. Also, the number of visits to hospital emergency departments involving the non-medical use of narcotic painkillers is on the rise.

For more information, visit www.operationtakebacknj.com.