Operation Takeback Scores 158 Pounds of Drugs

Last weekend's Operation Takeback tallied a total of 158 pounds of drugs from residents who made drops at the Chester Township Police Department, Mendham Township Police Department, Mendham Borough Police Department and the Washington Township Police Department. 

Operation Takeback is a Drug Enforcement Administration-National Take Back initiative that encourages individuals to turn in unused or expired prescriptions, controlled substances and over-the-counter medications for safe disposal. Now that the drugs have been collected, law enforcement officials will dispose of them safely.

According to Mendham Township Police Lt. Vito Abrusci, his departments drop off location collected 34 pounds of medication split into two large collection bag.

"This is the largest collection for the take back program for us," Arbusci said. "This continues to be a valuable program that allows the Mendham Township Police Department to provide services to our community."

Right next store in Mendham Borough, Chief of Police Pasquale Libertino said his department received 27 pounds of drugs and Chester Township Lt. Thomas Williver said 29 pounds were turned in by Chester residents.

But Washington Township led all comers with 68 pounds of various medications collected according to Lt. Douglas Compton.

Americans that participated in the DEA’s fourth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Sept. 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.