JACKSON — As part of the first statewide Medicine Disposal Day in the nation, the Jackson Police Department will host an Operation Medicine Cabinet New Jersey collection.
The event will take place in the lobby of the Jackson Police Department, 102 Jackson Drive, Jackson, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nov. 14.
“This initiative, which is open to all residents, was organized to encourage local residents to properly dispose of their unused, unwanted and expired medicine,” Jackson police Sgt. John Convery said.
The statewide effort has more than 250 participating police departments and is being spearheaded by the U.S. Drug EnforcementAdministration’s New Jersey Division, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.
For information about the abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and local collection location information, visit www.operationmedicinecabinetnj.com.
Jackson Police Chief Matthew Kunz said the benefits of Operation Medicine Cabinet are twofold.
“First, this is an opportunity to remove potentially dangerous drugs from the home and remove the risk of them falling into the wrong hands,” Kunz said. “At the same time, we are ensuring that these drugs will be disposed of in a way that will not affect our drinking water and environment.”
Gerald P. McAleer, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, said the agency is excited about the widespread support and enthusiasm that Operation Medicine Cabinet New Jersey is gaining in the coordinated effort to bring public attention to the issue, which he said is impacting Garden State youths, families and communities.
McAleer said law enforcement personnel are concerned about an alarming trend in the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, with potential access to the drugs coming from the medicine cabinets of family members and friends.
New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram said the operation will reduce the availability of potent drugs that can lead young people down a path to addiction.
“We can’t break a cycle of dependence if powerful prescription drugs are stashed in our own homes, tucked away in drawers and cabinets,” Milgram said.