Operation Takeback Highlights Week Ahead

The Chester Township Police Department and the Mendham Township Police Department will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration-National Take Back Initiative from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The medications can be dropped off at the Chester Township Police Department located at 1 Parker Road (behind the Municipal Building) or at Mendham Township Police Department at 3 Cherry Lane in Brookside. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Americans that participated in the DEA’s fourth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on September 29, 2012, turned in more than 488,395 pounds (244 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,263 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

When the results of the four previous Take-Back Days are combined, the DEA, and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed more than 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of medication from circulation. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Any questions can be directed to Chester Township Police Lt. Thomas Williver at (908) 879-5514 ext. 835 or at twilliver@ctpdnj.org or Mendham Township Det. Dan Taquinto at 973-543-2584 ext 1.

Needles and sharps will not be accepted.