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Project Medicine Drop now in West Milford

| 18 Aug 2016 | 11:03
    Councilwoman Ada Erik shows how the Project Medicine Drop box works, just like a mailbox.
    Councilwoman Ada Erik shows how the Project Medicine Drop box works, just like a mailbox.
    Photos by Linda Smith Hancharick Residents may safely drop off their prescription and over-the-counter drugs in the receptacle. They are then destroyed.
    Photos by Linda Smith Hancharick Residents may safely drop off their prescription and over-the-counter drugs in the receptacle. They are then destroyed.

WEST MILFORD — The wait is over. The township now has its own drop box for expired or unwanted prescription drugs in the lobby of the West Milford Police Department.
After more than a year of waiting, the mailbox-style receptacle was installed last week.
Councilwoman Ada Erik has been banging the drum for this project for nearly two years. It is a partnership between the township, United for Prevention in Passaic County, New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and Project Medicine Drop. Residents may bring their expired or unwanted prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs to the police department 24 hours a day and deposit them in the container, which is bolted to the floor and under constant video surveillance.
The drugs collected are then brought to Newark where they are destroyed.
Erik said this is a tool to help fight the growing opioid drug epidemic. Many drug abusers start right in their own medicine cabinet, using a family member's medication.