Drop Off Medications at Point Beach Police Dept. Sat.

Unwanted or old prescription medications can be dropped off at the Point Beach police department lobby at Borough Hall on New Jersey Avenue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

It's part of the national "Operation Take Back" program designed to get prescription medications out of homes and disposed of safely.

The US Department of Justice's Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) holds the event annually.

"Most abused prescription drugs come from family and friends," according to a prepared statement from the DEA. "You could be a drug dealer and not even know it."

The DEA information also states: "Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold. Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment."

"Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse," the statement says. "The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America. The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends and the home medicine cabinet."

For more information, call the police department at (732) 892-0500 or visit the following websites:

www.dea.gov; www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com; www.justthinktwice.com