Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office

                                 25 Kirkpatrick Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901 (732) 745-3300

 

                                *News Release*         Date: September 23, 2010
 
 

 

 

 


Residents urged to dispose of unwanted medicines

 

 

          Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan and John G. McCabe Jr., acting special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, announced today that there will be a special collection of unwanted medicines by local police departments and the Rutgers University police on Saturday, September 25, 2010.

 

Middlesex County residents are asked to bring any unwanted or expired prescription medicines, or over-the-counter medicines, to their local police departments between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for proper disposal.

 

Police will be standing by to accept the unwanted drugs. No questions will be asked.

 

The program, entitled ‘’Operation Take Back New Jersey,’’ is being sponsored by the DEA, and is being run nationwide to encourage people to properly dispose of unwanted drugs, which are a major source of drug abuse. The successful program is in its second year.

 

‘’The proper disposal of these medicines is a way to keep them out of the hands of children,’’ Prosecutor Kaplan said.

 

‘’On behalf of Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan and the law enforcement community in Middlesex County, I strongly encourage all residents to take advantage of this opportunity to rid their homes of these drugs,’’ said Middlesex County Freeholder Mildred S. Scott, Chair of the county’s Law and Public Safety Committee.

 

McCabe, acting special agent in charge of the DEA in New Jersey, said more than 9,000 pounds of medicine were collected last year in New Jersey.

 

‘’This year we are very excited about the continued support brought on by Operation Take Back New Jersey, and we hope all citizens will take the time to eliminate any and all medicines that are not suitable for proper medical use. The more public attention we bring to this issue, the more we trust that the people will become educated on the dangers of prescription drug abuse,’’ McCabe said.

 

Residents may drop off unwanted drugs at any of the 25 municipal police departments in Middlesex County, or at the Rutgers Student Center, graduate student lounge, at 126 College Avenue, New Brunswick.

 

Information on the program also may be obtained at www.operationtakebacknj.com.