Wyckoff Police Hosting Prescription Disposal Program

The Township of Wyckoff will be holding another edition of  “Operation Take Back” which allows residents to safely dispose of their unused or expired prescription medicine.

Drug abuse has been a part of history for longer than many of us would like to admit. Prescription drug abuse has been one of the largest growing problems in the country over the last decade.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse:

In 2010 approximately 7.0 million persons were current users of psychotherapeutic drugs taken nonmedically. 2.7 percent of the U.S. population. Although prescription drugs can be powerful allies, they also pose serious health risks related to their abuse.

Luckily for us, the Township of Wyckoff does their part to make sure that this growing problem doesn’t infest our community. For the seventh time in four years the Township will participate in the United States Drug Enforcement Agency’s program. The event will take place Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to noon at Wyckoff Town Hall.

Over 500 pounds of unused or expired prescription medicine or over the counter medicine has been safely disposed of from the previous collections. The DEA incinerates the medicine and the prescription container, protecting any personal information on the label.

The Township of Wyckoff has also released a parental alert:

Be sure to inventory and secure all of the medication in your home. Do not leave medications (pills or liquids) in the bathroom medicine cabinets or on kitchen counters where they are accessible to anyone who may visit your home. The Wyckoff Police Department reports a growing trend of intentional abuse of prescription drugs, in addition to alcohol, among teenagers.