OC PILL DROP OFF PROGRAM PREVENTS ABUSE OF 19,100 LBS OF UNUSED PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato today announced that the concerted efforts of Ocean County Law Enforcement and residents continue to bring great success in disposing of unused prescription medications.  On Wednesday (10/26) OCPO supervised the destruction of 2800 pounds of unused prescription meds, among the three largest pill burns to date.  Since the programs start in the summer of 2014, nineteen thousand one hundred (19,100) pounds of various medicines were destroyed between October 3, 2014 and October 26, 2016.  Below is the list of burn dates and totals:

• October 3, 2014 2220 lbs.
• March 27, 2015 2880 lbs.
• July 17, 2015 2520 lbs.
• October 29, 2015 2300 lbs.
• December 2, 2015 1040 lbs.
• April 13, 2016 2380 lbs.
• July 20, 2016 2960 lbs.
• October 26, 2016 2800 lbs.

Prosecutor Coronato stated, “There is no question that unused medications many times end up in the wrong hands and are used illegally.  In the worst case scenarios these forgotten pain killing medications lead to addiction or teens becoming unwitting drug dealers”.  Project Medicine Drop is the county wide initiative to make disposal of unused medications an easy convenient priority for Ocean County residents.  The towns that participate by having easily accessible medication drop boxes at police department entrances are: Barnegat, Berkeley, Brick, Harvey Cedars, Jackson, Lacey, Lakewood, Little Egg Harbor Township, Long Beach, Manchester Township, Ocean, Plumsted, Pt. Pleasant, Seaside Heights, Stafford, Toms River and Tuckerton.

It can be difficult to comprehend the astounding amount of medications to account for such a huge total.  The attached photos here and on the next page may give you some sense, as OCPO detectives unload a box truck packed to the door.  We’re considering making this task part of a new physical fitness program at OCPO.

Please do your part.  “Clean Out & Drop Off” those unused meds.  For more info go to:

www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/meddrop or oceancountyprosecutor.org

 

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