Aberdeen Police Accepting Unwanted Prescription Drugs

Aberdeen police will participate in the annual drug Take Back Day event on Saturday.

Local police will team up with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and “give the public its tenth opportunity in five years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs,” a news release said.

The event will run form 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the municipal building.

Residents can bring pills or patches in for disposal. Liquids, needles or other sharps are not accepted.

“The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked,” the news release said.

Last year, residents disposed of 309 tons - more than 617,000 pounds - of prescription drugs at Take Back sites across the country.

Since the program began, federal, state and local law enforcement has collected more than 4.8 million pounds—more than 2,400 tons—of pills.

The program is set up to prevent unused medication from being diverted, misused and abused.

“Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet,” the news release said. “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.”

The municipal building is located at 1 Aberdeen Square, off of Church Street.

For more information, contact Detective Sgt. Michael O’Dwyer at 732­-583-­4200 ext. 202 or Mike.Odwyer@aberdeennj.org