Drug Take Back Nets 329 Pounds Of Prescription Drugs In Morris Co.

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — The results are in for the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in Morris County.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office reported that more than 14 bags of prescription drugs weighing a combined total of 329 pounds were collected during the take-back event held over the weekend.

Residents of Morris County were able to bring unused or expired prescription drugs to three designated county law enforcement locations: Shoprite of Greater Morristown in Hanover Township, the ACME Supermarket in Randolph and the Stop and Shop Supermarket in Morris Plains.

The total weight of materials collected from each location is as follows:

• Shoprite of Greater Morristown: 105 pounds
• Stop and Shop of Morris Plains: 110 pounds
• ACME of Randolph: 114 pounds

"Year after year, Operation Take Back in Morris County has consistently yielded hundreds of pounds of expired and unused medications. The community relies on this service, and we thank our residents for being active participants in combatting prescription drug misuse," Prosecutor Robert Carroll and Morris County Sheriff James Gannon said.

The Operation Take Back initiative is part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, held twice a year in April and October by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Association.

The goal of Operation Take Back is to encourage the public to anonymously turn in unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medication that will be weighed and disposed of properly by law enforcement officials.

Last year, Morris County was on track to have the lowest number of suspected drug overdose deaths in approximately six years, indicating some relief from an opioid epidemic exacerbated by the stress of the COVID-19 crisis.

Despite the fact that overdoses continue, Morris County's community response to addiction over the years, through numerous nonprofits and county programs such as Hope One, Navigating Hope, and "Stigma Free" campaigns, appears to have had some impact, Gannon said.

In 2022, the two Operation Take Back collections in Morris County yielded a total of 640 pounds of unused prescription drugs.

Residents that were unable to visit any of the drop-off sites can go to one of the permanent locations at any time, which are all listed on the sheriff's office website.