>DEA Sponsored Drug Collection Program
Saturday, April 30
Ridgewood residents will have an opportunity to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs during the DEA-sponsored National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, scheduled for Saturday, April 30, from 10 am to 2 pm. The collection site is the lobby outside the Police Department on the second floor of Village Hall where a clearly marked box will be placed for collecting the drugs. This program is a follow-up to the Take Back Day that was held in September, during which 25 pounds of unwanted drugs were collected in Ridgewood. Nationally, more than 120 tons of pills were collected during the September program. This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.
More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Each day, approximately 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time, according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. “Simply flushing prescription drugs down the toilet is not a good option for disposal either,” notes Eco-Ed Schwartz, from REAC (Ridgewood’s Environmental Advisory Committee), “as trace amounts of these drugs are making it back to our waterways and drinking water.”
Ridgewood is one of several Bergen County communities that will be participating in the April 30 event. For a complete list of local collection locations, see the DEA website at www.dea.gov. If you have questions about the collection or need additional information, call the Ridgewood Police Department at 201-652-3900.
