(TRENTON) – Assemblyman Tim Eustace is encouraging Lodi residents to bring any unused prescriptions to Borough Hall for proper disposal as part of the “Operation Take Back” program, which discards of controlled substances as a way to prevent them from ending up in the wrong hands.
“Prescription drug abuse in New Jersey is on the rise, and as detailed in the state report, “Scenes from an Epidemic”, many users who abuse prescription drugs transition to heroin,” said Eustace ((D-Bergen). “These users are primarily young people. We may not give a second thought to the old prescriptions in our medicine cabinets, but if someone in that home is experimenting with drugs, they can be as dangerous as the dealer in the corner. If you have prescriptions you no longer use or need, take advantage of this program and bring them in so that they can be properly discarded.”
The drop-off – sponsored by the Lodi Police Department in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Association – will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26. Any unused, unwanted or left over prescriptions may be dropped-off between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Borough Hall Lobby.
No needles of any type will be accepted.
Launched in 2010, the goal of the program is to allow New Jersey residents to deliver all of their unused, unwanted, or expired medications to law enforcement officials who can then dispose of these controlled substances in a safe and non-hazardous manner, preventing these pills from falling into the hands of juveniles or into the illicit market in our communities.
For more information, contact Sgt. Robert Salerno at (973) 473-7600, ext. 120.