Got Pills? Dispose Of Them In Freehold This Weekend

If you have prescription medication you no longer need, the Drug Enforcement Agency is encouraging you to get rid of it this weekend during Operation Take Back.

America is presently experiencing an epidemic of addiction, overdose and death due to abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioid painkillers. 6.5 million Americans abuse prescription drugs, according to the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than abuse cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogens combined, the DEA said in a news release announcing the collection effort.

“Most prescription drug abusers get their pills from friends and family, including from the household medicine cabinet,” DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said. “Please remove unwanted prescription drugs from your homes and help prevent substance abuse fueled by our medicine cabinets.”

The national collection effort will take place at more than 5,000 sites on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Locally, unneeded and unwanted prescription medications can be dropped off at the Freehold Township Police Department headquarters at Municipal Plaza; at Freehold Raceway Mall at the carousel entrance; at Michael. J. Tighe Park; at Freehold Borough Police headquarters on Jackson Street and at the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office on Kozloski Road.

All collection efforts are designed to protect the anonymity of those getting rid of the medications, the DEA said. This service is free of charge, with no questions asked.

Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, eclipsing deaths from motor vehicle crashes or firearms. The removal from homes of unwanted prescription pills that can be abused, stolen or resold is an easy way to help fight the epidemic of substance abuse and addiction, the DEA said.

Over the last five years, more than 5.5 million pounds of unused prescription drugs have been collected and destroyed, the DEA said.

Other collection sites can be found by visiting www.dea.gov, clicking on the “Got Drugs?” icon, and entering the zip code into the search window, or they can call 800-882-9539.

Only pills and other solids, like patches, will be accepted; liquids, needles or other sharps should not be brought to collection sites, the DEA said.

(Spilled pills, by Ano Lobb, via Flickr under Creative Commons license)