Prescription drug drop boxes are now located across Camden County to provide residents with a free and anonymous way to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs. The Camden County Addiction Awareness Task Force provides a list of drop box locations on their website, www.addictions.camdencounty.com, to prevent these potentially dangerous expired and unused prescription drugs to fall into the wrong hands.
A drop-off location is available at the Cherry Hill Police Department, 820 Mercer Street, in Cherry Hill.
“Everyone should check their medicine cabinet for unwanted prescription drugs that expire and become permanent fixtures in bathrooms throughout the county.” said freeholder director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “We recognize the importance of having a safe and legal way to dispose of these substances, and are working in cooperation with every municipality in Camden County to identify drop-off sites.”
Last year, Americans turned in more than 300 tons of unwanted prescription drugs at over 5,400 drop-off sites across the country. The take-back program addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. 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.
“As a mother, educator and elected official, the addiction crisis in Camden County is one of my biggest concerns. Prescription drugs have become the number one abused substance by young people because they are accessible and go fairly undetected.” said freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Health Department. “Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. Parents and grandparents become the unwitting supplier of these dangerous substances.”
In addition, the Camden County Health Department always reminds residents to keep their prescriptions safe and locked away. Having a secure place for storage of these medications is an important issue in order to keep them out of the hands of children so they are not abused.
For help, call the county’s 24–7 toll-free confidential hotline for addiction help at (877) 266–8222.
Check the Camden County Addiction Awareness Task Force website for additional locations that will be added in the coming months.
