HOWELL – Twice a year, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) encourages residents to clean out their medicine cabinets to help save lives.
Dispose of your unwanted, unused prescriptions and vaping devices at the National DEA Prescription Drug Take-Back on April 30.
Once again, the nationwide event will be taking place at the Howell Township Police Department, 300 Old Tavern Road, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Join the Howell Police Department and the Howell Alliance to drop off your unwanted, unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as unwanted electronic cigarettes and vaping devices anonymously. They ask you to remove or black out your name and take out batteries from devices. Needles and syringes cannot be accepted.
Last year, drug overdose deaths reached a record high with 100,000 plus overdoses reported nationwide during the 12-month span ending April 2021. The Howell Alliance stated that most overdoses were from opioids and synthetic opioids, such as prescription pain medications, heroin and fentanyl.
Misusing pain medications prescribed for the individual or for someone else can lead to opioid addiction. In addition, there was a rise in overdoses from methamphetamines and cocaine during the 12-month period above.
The goal of Drug Take-Back Day is to keep unwanted, unused and expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications out of the wrong hands, which can lead to misuse and substance use disorders.
For more information on proper medication disposal in Howell, visit the Howell Alliance’s website at twp.howell.nj.us/537/Safe-Prescription-Disposal. The website provides information on Project Medicine Drop (available 24/7 anonymously in the Howell Township Police Department lobby at 300 Old Tavern Road in Howell), at-home pick-up by a Howell police officer, DisposeRx at-home disposal packets to keep on hand (available for
free through the Alliance), instructions on disposing of liquid medications and safe needle disposal options.
For questions or more information, contact Howell Alliance Coordinator Christa Riddle at 732-938-4500 ext. 4012 or criddle@twp.howell.nj.us.
