Vitale Encourages Participation in ‘National Drug Take Back Day’

Trenton – Senator Joe Vitale, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, is encouraging people to participate in “National Drug Take Back Day” as a way to help counter drug abuse and its consequences.

The Take Back Day – Saturday, October 26 –  puts a focus on the need to prevent the misuse and theft of pills by giving the public the opportunity to safely rid their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs, Senator Vitale noted.

“Unused prescription drugs too often find their way into the wrong hands with consequences that are dangerous and sometimes tragic,” said Senator Vitale. “The opioid crisis and the rise in the use of heroin and fentanyl have been fueled in large part by the easy availability of prescription drugs. Taking unused medications out of medicine cabinets and removing them from circulation is a preventive step that can help reduce abuse and addiction, and even save lives.”

The opioid epidemic claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people in New Jersey in 2018 alone.

According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs and a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. Senator Vitale also encouraged people to keep medications they continue to use safely secured.

The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked. Specific locations can be found through the DEA’s website: https://takebackday.dea.gov/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjc2yyeuy5QIV__7jBx0_rAI8EAAYASAAEgJpxfD_BwE