(Camden, NJ) — Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 70,000 people could lose their lives due to opiate abuse. But on Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Camden County residents can put a dent in that number by participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
The Camden County Board of Commissioners and the county’s Addiction Awareness Task Force are taking this day to remind the community of the myriad of options it has to reduce the number of prescription drugs available for misuse.
“When prescription drugs are misused, they’re no different than illegal substances sold on the streets,” said Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “Too many addiction stories start with the abuse of unprescribed drugs, and we all can play a part in reducing the impact this has on our community. Participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is one small way we can win the battle against opiate abuse.”
Nearly 10 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019, according to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey also found that a majority of the misused drugs were obtained by family and friends – many times through the home medicine cabinet.
National Drug Take Back Day happens twice a year in April and October. In April, Americans collected more than 420 tons of prescription drugs and other materials. The Addiction Awareness Task Force currently has more than two dozen drop-off boxes throughout the county where you can dispose of unused prescription drugs. You can view the full list of available locations here: https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/clean-out-your-medicine-cabinet-2-25-19-RX-drop-box-locations-003.pdf.
For more information regarding the Addiction Awareness Task Force, visit
For more information on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, or to find more related
research and assistance, visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/.