(Camden, NJ) – Just because something is prescribed, doesn’t mean it’s safe. In 2019, more than 20 million Americans were estimated to have misused prescription pain relievers, stimulants, tranquilizers, and/or sedatives. That’s why tomorrow, April 24, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, an initiative encouraging Americans to properly dispose of unused and expired prescription medications to prevent abuse, misuse, and potential overdose deaths.
National Drug Take Back Day happens twice a year, in April and October. On the last National Drug Take Back Day, Americans collected more than 985,000 pounds of prescription drugs and other materials.
“Prescription drugs can be just as dangerous as illegal substances when abused or used without the supervision of a doctor, and we know that countless addiction stories begin with the abuse of unused prescription drugs left lying around the home,” said County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “The Camden County Addiction Awareness Task Force has more than two dozen drop box locations across the county where you can safely dispose of unused and expired prescription drugs. The opioid crisis affects communities across the country, but everyone has a role they can play to bring about change, and it starts with small but impactful actions like this.”
The county task force aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. No longer needed or outdated prescription drugs in homes are the same drugs that have unfortunately become the target of theft and misuse, oftentimes by people who have access to the residence.
Americans from 12 to 17 have made prescription drugs the number one substance of abuse for their age group, and much of that supply is coming from the medicine cabinets of their parents, grandparents, and friends. According to the National Institutes For Health, more than 75% of individuals who abused opioids started with prescription medication. Everyone can help end this abuse by disposing of unneeded prescription drugs at a drug drop box near you.
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.
Additionally, Camden County Sheriff Gilbert “Whip” Wilson, in partnership with the DEA, has placed an additional drop box at the entrance of City Hall in Camden City. The medication drop box is currently available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be in place until April 26, at 10 a.m.
“The Sherriff’s Office is proud to support this initiative and to do our part in helping make disposing of unused and expired drugs as easy and convenient as possible,” Wilson said. “These drugs need to be out of the home, especially out of the reach of kids and teens, so that they are never misused or abused. We can prevent future overdoses, and it can be as simple as grabbing our old prescription and dropping it off at this secure location.”
For more information regarding the Addiction Awareness Task Force, visit addictions.camdencounty.com.
For more information on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, or to find more related research and assistance, visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/.