Unwanted Medication Collection Slated for Saturday
Manchester and Lakehurst police will participate in the initiative
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Local police will again collect unwanted and unneeded prescription medications during Operation Take Back Saturday.
Manchester residents turned in 713 pounds of prescription medications last year, the most of any municipality in New Jersey, said Manchester police Capt. Lisa Parker. Agencies from around the state, including Manchester and Lakehurst, will again accept medications on April 28 at various local drop off spots.
Chief of Police Brian Klimakowski said that he was "thrilled" by the turnout last April.
"I'm extremely satisfied with the outcome," he said. "I'm appreciative of everyone who participated."
The initiative is important because of the problems that unused medications present to the community, the chief said.
"Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed and this is a common way for people who have this type of problem to get these medications," Klimakowski said.
Throughout New Jersey last year 12,000 pounds were collected, according to the New Jersey Drug Enforcement Administration.
In addition to the police station on Colonial Drive, those wanting to participate can bring unwanted medications to the following locations on April 28 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.:
- Ocean County Library, Manchester Branch, 21 Colonial Dr.
- Ocean County Library, Whiting Reading Center, 400 Lacey Rd.
- Manchester Plaza, 1001 Route 70
- Whiting Shopping Center, 108 Lacey Rd.
In Lakehurst, Mayor Harry Robbins said that the operation will be held at the borough's police department headquarters from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"This will allow the residents the opportunity to prevent the medication from contaminating the environment and prevent it from falling into the hands of children or abusers," he said in his mayor's column last week. "Syringes and other sharp objects will not be accepted."
In This article
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Manchester Township Municipal Complex
1 Colonial Dr, Manchester, NJ -
Manchester Branch-Ocean County Library
21 S Colonial Dr, Manchester, NJ -
Borough of Lakehurst Police Department
530 Union Ave, Lakehurst, NJ
frank
9:59 am on Friday, April 20, 2012
well why wouldnt manchester have the largest turn in of medication we only have the largest community of "death ship pilots" in the state. Instead of manchester we should just call it wrinkle city NJ. 25,000 residents and 24,500 of them are komakazi's just waiting to blast into something like a house or a buisness. Takin the medication will not help getting them off the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eggs-n-Toast
3:13 pm on Friday, April 20, 2012
I've asked this before, and it never gets answered...
What do the POLICE do with all these medications? Do they just in turn dump them in a landfill themselves? (probably)
Do they have some sort of hand-in program or agreement with a pharmaceutical company to destroy the drugs? (Doubtful. I'm sure they'd mention that)
So what is the purpose of collecting these drugs? Just to keep them out of the hands of "druggies". Riiiiight.
I strongly suggest if you DO turn in any unused prescription pain pills or anything similar you take off ALL labels and personal information off the bottles first. Even better, recycle all the medicine bottles yourself, (labels removed) and just dump all the pills together in one big baggie or lunch bag before turning them in.
Also remember, hard pills are still good for FIVE YEARS beyond the expiration date on bottles!! That one year exp. date is a scam to get you to buy more pills / prescription meds.
ballyjduf
4:00 pm on Friday, April 20, 2012
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and government, community, public health and law enforcement partners today announced a nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft. DEA will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at sites nationwide
Eggs-n-Toast
8:08 am on Saturday, April 21, 2012
Well Ballyjduf, your post didn't answer my questions, either. I wonder why, especially if it's true you are a Cop as well. Once again we've got local government (i.e; law enforcement) butting into our personal business - in the guise of "helping" the community. Right.
Everyone- Keep your meds. You paid for them, and in most cases we've ALL paid for them (Medicare, insurance, etc) and there's no reason to "throw them away" at the cops. Prescription meds are meant to be finished. Always finish your meds and you won't have any leftovers sitting around. If for some reason you do... crush them into a brown lunch bag and throw them in the trash. Recycle the medicine bottle.
watchdawg
5:58 pm on Friday, April 20, 2012
ya ballyjduff is a manchester cop. good work leading the cheer squad again.
UPeopleR2Much
7:23 am on Saturday, April 21, 2012
Yeah I bet they get a kickback, or maybe even a raise for getting the medication off the street...wow. Dumb as hell.
Eggs-n-Toast
8:17 am on Saturday, April 21, 2012
Remember, hard pills are still good for at least FIVE YEARS beyond the expiration date on bottles!! That one year exp. date is a scam to get you to buy more pills / prescription meds.
This is 100% true. The Military did an extensive study and said:
" Most of what is known about drug expiration dates comes from a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration at the request of the military. With a large and expensive stockpile of drugs, the military faced tossing out and replacing its drugs every few years. What they found from the study is 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date. "
Tetracycline was the ONE exception and should be discarded within a year or so of the expiration date on bottle.