Drop Unwanted Medication at the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office

A drop-box for prescription medication will be available at the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office on Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with several other law enforcement locations around the county.

The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office is located at 50 E. Main St. in Freehold.

“Removing unused and unwanted medications from your medicine cabinet and destroying them appropriately is one way we can protect lives and the environment,” said Freeholder John P. Curley, liaison to the County’s Mental Health and Addiction Services division. “Studies have shown that the majority of people abusing prescription medication have obtained them through raiding the medicine cabinets of family and friends. We need to get these unused medicines out of our homes.”

The program began based on national studies about the rising misuse of prescription painkillers. According to the news release, between 2004 and 2008, the number of visits to the hospital involving the non-medical use of narcotic painkillers increased 111 percent.

Accepted items:  

• unused and expired prescription medications
• prescription cough syrup, sealed
• prescription eye and ear drips
• unused and expired over the counter medications

Unacceptable items:

• hypodermic needles
• medical waste
• mercury thermometers
• illegal drugs or paraphernalia

Please remove the prescription label on the original prescription container if it contains any personal identifying information. The collection is anonymous, no identification is required. Pills do not have to be in the original case.