Medication Drop-off Program

West Deptford participates in New Jersey's Project Medicine Drop, which allows residents to get rid of old medications and keep pills from addicts or polluting waterways.

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The safe disposal comes as prescription drug abuse issues continue to loom across New Jersey and nationwide. State officials released the following statistics:

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• New Jersey saw more than 7,000 admissions in 2010 to state-licensed or certified substance abuse treatment programs due to prescription painkiller abuse—a 230 percent increase from 2005. 

• In June 2011, the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation reported that a growing number of young people are abusing prescription drugs and noted a significant trend in which the practice has led to increases, not only in the number of young people addicted to painkillers, but to the number of young people using heroin as well.

• Every day, 40 Americans die from an overdose caused by prescription painkiller abuse, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overdoses of opioid prescription drugs now kill more people in the U.S. than heroin and cocaine combined.

• The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that two in five teenagers mistakenly believe prescription drugs are "much safer" than illegal drugs.