ABSECON - Greater Atlantic Partnership and Join Together Atlantic County, local substance misuse prevention coalitions, announced that they collected 3,630 pounds of unwanted, unused and/or expired medications at drop boxes located throughout Atlantic County during 2025.
It is the largest reported collection of medications since 2019 and second highest collection since the initiative began in 2016. Since its launch, residents have safely disposed of approximately 26,214 pounds through these permanent prescription drop boxes, which can be found at most municipal police stations and various pharmacies throughout the county.
According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 8.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs, most often obtained from family or friends’ medicine cabinets. Permanent medication drop boxes help reduce access to unused prescriptions. Encouraging residents to clean out medicine cabinets and safely dispose of medications lowers the risk of accidental poisoning, prescription misuse, and environmental harm.
Most drop box locations are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however some locations are only available during certain business hours. For locations and times please visit JTACNJ.org and click on “Safe Drug Disposal.”
Both GAP and JTAC challenge residents to take the Five-Step American Medicine Chest Challenge:
• Take inventory of your prescription and over the counter medicine.
• Secure your medicine chest.
• Properly dispose of your unused, unwanted, and expired medicine.
• Take your medicine(s) exactly as prescribed.
• Talk to your children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.
For more information about GAP and JTAC visit www.jtacnj.org or call 609-272-0101.
