4 Of 5 New Heroin Users Start With Pills; Get Rid Of Unused Prescriptions Saturday In Howell

HOWELL, NJ — People rail about the heroin epidemic. They scream that government is not doing enough to stop it, that doctors aren't doing enough, that nothing is enough.

But did you know that four out of five people who use heroin for the first time actually became addicted to opioids because of prescription medications? That's one of several sobering statistices from the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

In 2015, drug overdoses killed 52,404 people, the No. 1 cause of accidental death in the United States, the ASAM said. Nearly half of those overdose deaths — 20,101 — were related to prescription pain relievers, ASAM said.

In 2015, there were 276,000 kids ages 12 to 17 who were using painkillers that were not prescribed to them, according to the ASAM said. Of those 276,000 kids, 122,000 were addicted to prescription pain relievers.

Where did they get them, you ask? The ASAM said most of those kids received the painkillers from a friend or relative who shared their own unused prescriptions.

How do we start to put the brakes on this epidemic? By not giving others our prescriptions. By cleaning out medicine cabinets and disposing of the pills safely.

This Saturday, April 29, the Howell Township Police Department will be participating in National Drug Take Back Day. You can bring unneeded, unused and expired prescription drugs to the Howell Township Municipal Building on Route 9 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. You can turn the items anonymously, no questions asked. There is no charge to turn them in.

If you can't make it Saturday, you can drop off medications year-round at the Howell Township Police Department, 300 Old Tavern Road.

Unused and expired prescription medications can also represent an environmental hazard. Most individuals are not aware of methods to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away; both of which have potential safety and health hazards.

Solving the opioid crisis will take everyone getting involved. It can start with something as simple as cleaning out medicine cabinets — yours, and those of your loved ones.

Don't share your prescriptions. Don't keep them readily accessible to anyone who comes into your home. And get rid of them as soon as you no longer need them.

Photo by Karen Wall