Drug Awareness, Prescription Drop-Off Events Set

In another one of its efforts to try to combat the epidemic of drug use and overdose cases in the county, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office will be participating in a drug abuse awareness event at the Ocean County Mall this weekend, officials announced.

In addition, the prosecutor’s office is coordinating a prescription drug dropoff event Tuesday at the Lakewood BlueClaws’ game.

The awareness event, at center court at Ocean County Mall, runs from 5-9 p.m. today, Friday, Aug. 22, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. There will be a variety of groups distributing information on preventing drug abuse, awareness, and treatment for those who have become addicts, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

The prescription drug dropoff event, in conjunction with the Lakewood Police Department and the Lakewood BlueClaws, is set for Tuesday, Aug. 26, Della Fave said.

“More Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens and heroin combined, according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” Della Fave said. Studies show most abused prescription drugs are gotten from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet, he said.

Last year, about 100 people took part in the program, which yielded 88 pounds of unused prescription drugs in a one-hour period, Della Fave said.

Starting at 6 p.m., there will be tables at each of the stadium’s two entrances where unused prescriptions can be turned in, and collection will continue until the start of the game at about 7 p.m. The prosecutor’s office and the Lakewood Police Department will handle disposal, and the DART Coalition of Barnabas Health and the county Health Department will be distributing substance abuse prevention information inside the stadium, Della Fave said.