Hopewell Township is taking proactive steps to prevent prescription drug abuse by participating in the Project Medicine Drop program.
Drug overdoses increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to the pre-pandemic era, leading to thousands of New Jersey residents entering addiction treatment programs due to prescription drug misuse.
Furthermore, recent data shows that 70% of opioid abuse starts with easy access to unused medication at home.
In response to this alarming trend, New Jersey’s Office of the Attorney General and Division of Consumer Affairs launched the Project Medicine Drop program to address this serious public health concern.
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Unused or expired medicines (both prescription and over-the-counter) can be a risk if they are taken by someone they were not prescribed for.
They can be harmful if accidentally taken by a child or pet and dangerous, or even deadly, if not used as directed. So why put your family at risk by keeping unused or expired medicines?
As part of the Project Medicine Drop program, the Hopewell Township Police Department has installed a permanent medicine drop box in the lobby of the Hopewell Township police station located at 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road in Titusville.
This dropbox provides a safe, secure, and anonymous way for community members to dispose of unused and expired medications.
The drop box is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no questions asked. Please note, the drop box does not accept syringes, sharps or illicit (nonprescription) drugs.
Residents are encouraged to bring their medications, including opioids, and discard them in an environmentally safe manner. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be placed in a container with the cap tightly sealed.
While the drop box is available year-round, April 22 was the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day initiative. On that day, Hopewell Township police collected and safely disposed of more than 200 pounds of unused drugs.
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By participating in the Project Medicine Drop program, Hopewell Township is not only addressing the social impact of prescription drug abuse but also the environmental impact of improper drug disposal.
The Township is a Sustainable Jersey Certified Community, and the installation of the medicine drop box aligns with our commitment to preserving the environment and keeping waterways clean. Flushing medications down the toilet can have harmful effects on drinking water and aquatic life.
The availability of the drop box is not the solution to drug abuse. Drug abuse prevention is a shared responsibility among public officials, law enforcement, and the local community.
Hopewell Township works in close collaboration with the Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance to build caring, confident, and responsible youth. Our law enforcement personnel engage in community events to educate, train, and spread public awareness about drug safety.
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As part of spring cleaning, residents are encouraged to thoroughly check their cabinets, drawers, and other hidden places for unused or expired prescription medications and safely discard them at the medicine drop box.
For more information, visit the Hopewell Township website, hopewelltwp.org, and type “Project Medicine Drop” in the search bar, or call (609) 737-0605.
Uma Purandare is a member of the Hopewell Township Committee. Hopewell Township provided this content.