Crime & Safety

Project Medicine Drop Aims to Keep Prescription Drugs Out of Wrong Hands

Lawrence Township is now the second municipality in Mercer County to offer Project Medicine Drop, a safe place to drop off your unwanted, unused or expired medicines for safe disposal. 

The brightly colored bin is located just inside the doors of the building that houses the Lawrence Court and Police Department. It's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The project is a partnership led by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.  

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"The CDC has defined prescription drug abuse as an epidemic in this country," said Doug Collier the drug initiative coordinator for the NJ Attorney General's Office. "We in New Jersey also follow that model and we see prescription drug opioids are leading to heroin abuse, use and deaths."

The hope is that parents and others will empty their medicine cabinets of prescriptions that are no longer being used, lest the drugs fall into the wrong hands.

"We know the source of supply is right from the home for 18-25 year olds," Collier said. "Medicine is good, it's the bad behavior we have to be concerned about." 

Project Medicine Drop began in New Jersey two years ago and now has a presence is 70 police departments across the state. In Mercer County, West Windsor also offers the program. 

"We're proud to have this resource available in our lobby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in our lobby," Acting Lawrence Police Chief Mark Ubry said. "Feel free to come in anytime."


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