East Brunswick To Collect Unused, Expired Prescription Drugs

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, and the East Brunswick police department is asking residents to come in and dispose their unused and expired drugs.

However, East Brunswick residents can drop off their prescription drugs throughout the year and not just on one day.

The police department has installed a lockable metal “prescription drug drop box”, in the hallway outside the department’s front desk. Residents can use the box throughout the year, to dispose their unused and expired medications.

The drop box accepts pharmaceuticals such as pills, capsules, patches, inhalers, and pet medications. Syringes or liquids are not accepted. Unused medications create a public health and safety concern, as they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused. The majority of prescription drug abusers report in surveys that they get their drugs from friends and family.

Clearing out old prescription drugs from homes reduces accidents, thefts, and the misuse and abuse of these medicines.

Police said that eight out of 10 new heroin users began by abusing prescription painkillers and then move to heroin when they could no longer obtain or afford painkillers.

Location:
East Brunswick Police Headquarters,
1 Civic Center Drive,
East Brunswick, NJ

For more information on Project Medicine Drop please visit the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs website http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/meddrop.