Essex County To Hold 2019 Drug Take Back Day – Caldwells, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Essex County. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.

On Thursday, April 18, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. and the Essex County Division of Community Health joined with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team (ADAPT), the Essex County Police Chief’s Association and the Essex County Crime Prevention Officers Association to announce plans for Drug Take Back Day and raise awareness about the dangers of prescription and over the counter drug abuse.

Drug Take Back Day will be held in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27 at 16 permanent collection sites and four temporary collection sites at local municipal police departments throughout Essex County.

“Some of the most dangerous substances in your home are the unused prescription and over the counter medication in your bathroom closet. Youth may sneak pills and use them out of curiosity, but there is a real danger that this could lead to more severe drug abuse,” DiVincenzo said.

“Ridding your homes of unused prescription medication and dangerous drugs is a simple and important safety measure we can all take. Using the collections sites ensures your unwanted pills are not used improperly and will be destroyed in an environmentally friendly manner. We encourage the public to join us on Drug Take Back Day,” he added.

“Prescription drug abuse and misuse is an epidemic, and we are pleased that Essex County is a leader in opioid abuse prevention. Drug Take Back Day and the year-round collection boxes have proven to be effective, with over 4,000 pounds of pills collected last year,” said Joel Torres, ADAPT Coalition Manager.

“When people think of drug problems, they think of illegal drugs. But there is a great deal of abuse of prescription drugs and it’s a real epidemic. Prescription drugs can look like candy, but they can be dangerous,” Essex County Prosecutor Ted Stephens said.

“We need to get drugs out of the home and off the streets so young people don’t experiment with them. It’s a whole different world today and we have to do all we can to protect or population,” said Susan A. Gibson, Special Agent in Charge with the DEA.

“New Jersey began this concept of having collection sites to remove drugs from the home. You’d be surprised how many people say their addiction started by taking pills out of curiosity or on a dare. We need to do all we can to get drugs away from children,” said Dennis Gonzalez, Executive Officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“At Family Connections, we try to instill hope and opportunity to all who come for service. We also try to bring hope to the community, and ADAPT does that in a very special way through partnerships with Essex County and our law enforcement community,” Family Connections Executive Director Jacques Hryshko said.

“If we want to be honest about the drug problem in our society, we don’t have to look any farther than our own families. Abuse starts at home and any effort to prevent it is welcomed,” Assemblyman Ralph Caputo said.

“It’s always great partnering with Essex County and ADAPT. They provide the resources we need to get the job done,” Nutley Police Commissioner Al Petracco said.

ADAPT, the Essex County Division of Community Health, and the DEA formed partnerships with 20 municipal police departments to serve as collection sites. Although officials urged the public to participate in Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27th, the permanent collection sites are open year-round so unwanted medications can be safely discarded at the public’s convenience.

The permanent collection locations, which are open year-round, are as follows:

  • Belleville Police Department, 152 Washington Avenue, Belleville
  • Bloomfield Police Department, 1 Municipal Plaza, Bloomfield
  • Caldwell Police Department, 1 Provost Square, Caldwell
  • East Orange Police Department, 15 South Munn Avenue, East Orange
  • Fairfield Police Department, 230 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
  • Glen Ridge Police Department, 3 Herman Street, Glen Ridge
  • Irvington Police Department, 1 Civic Square, Irvington
  • Livingston Police Department, 333 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
  • Millburn Police Department, 435 Essex Street, Millburn
  • Montclair Police, Department, 647 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
  • Newark Police Department, 480 Clinton Avenue, Newark
  • North Caldwell Police Department, 136 Gould Avenue, North Caldwell
  • Nutley Police Department, 228 Chestnut Street, Nutley
  • Orange Police Department, 29 Park Street, Orange
  • Verona Police Department, 600 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
  • West Orange Police Department, 60 Main Street, West Orange

The temporary collection locations, which will be open on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., are as follows:

  • Cedar Grove Police Department, 525 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
  • Maplewood Police Department, 1618 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood
  • South Orange Police Department, 201 South Orange Avenue, South Orange
  • West Caldwell Police Department, 21 Clinton Road, West Caldwell

Residents can dispose of their unused prescription drug medication by placing it in the marked collection sites. Dropping off medication is anonymous and safe. Residents should remove any identifying information from the medication containers, such as their name, address, telephone number and doctor’s name. Medications that are collected are brought to a licensed facility where they are safely disposed.

For additional information call 973-323-3907.

ADAPT was created by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in 2011, and is comprised of youth, parents, educators, law enforcement officials, substance abuse professionals, faith-based and government representatives, and other concerned citizens. It is managed by FAMILYConnections, a non-profit 501(c)(3) community-based counseling and family service agency with over 35 specialized programs for all ages from infants to seniors. Licensed by New Jersey’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Department of Children and Families, FAMILYConnections delivers research-based therapeutic services in its offices and on-site in preschools, schools, and directly in the home. For more information about ADAPT, visit www.essexadapt.org.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com