Safeguard Your Home for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Drug overdoses and drug overdose-related deaths are up over last year, with 3,124 drug overdose deaths reported in New Jersey in 2021.  A majority of these deaths involved some form of an opioid.  As the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on April 30th,  I wanted to remind you to take stock of your medicine cabinet and safely dispose of any unused or expired medication. 

It is more important than ever that we raise awareness about the dangers associated with prescription opioids and their link to heroin and fentanyl.  Approximately 80 percent of people who used heroin first misused prescription opioids.  The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s (PDFNJ) American Medicine Chest Challenge encourages and provides action steps for families to safeguard their homes from prescription drug diversion. 

I encourage you to follow the 5 easy steps to safeguard your home.

  • Take inventory of your prescription and over-the-counter medicine.
  • Secure your medicine.
  • Dispose of your unused, unwanted, and expired medicine at an American Medicine Chest Challenge Disposal site.
  • Do not share the medicine prescribed to you.
  • Talk to your children and physician about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Additionally, last month PDFNJ’s Knock Out Opioid Abuse Learning Series covered this very important topic with a with a webinar entitled, Doing Your Part: Safe Disposal of Opioids.  In case you missed it, you can view it here.

I also wanted to let you know about the next Learning Series Webinar, Combatting the Stigma of Opioid Addiction, coming up at 11 a.m. on April 28th.  It will address the stigma of addiction and how that effects people with substance use disorders. It will highlight resources available and begin to break down this stigma in society.  To register please click here.

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