Millburn, New Jersey, Nov. 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MILLBURN, NJ — On November 12, communities across the state will participate in the 14th Annual American Medicine Chest Challenge – New Jersey (AMCC-NJ) Day of Awareness of Prescription Drug Abuse and Safe Disposal, a public health initiative created by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) to help raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug use and empower families to safeguard their home through the 5-step challenge.
Between January 1 and September 30, 2022, 2,529,256 opioids were dispensed in New Jersey. “The American Medicine Chest Challenge’s 5-step challenge can help save the lives of our children,” said Angelo M. Valente, CEO of AMCC. “We know that many teens who misuse opioids get them from the medicine cabinets of their friends and families, so it is crucial for families to safeguard medicine within their homes. The five steps include taking inventory of your medicine; securing your medicine chest; taking medicine only as prescribed to them; safely disposing of unused, unwanted and expired medicine; and, most importantly, talking to your children about the dangers of prescription drugs.”
The American Medicine Chest Challenge is the home of the national registry of permanent collection sites where people can safely dispose of their unwanted, expired and unused medicine. There are over 220 sites in New Jersey and nearly 2,000 permanent disposal sites nationwide in 47 states and Washington, D.C. To find a site near you visit the newly updated AmericanMedicineChest.com.
Recently, as part of the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day, PDFNJ, in collaboration with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and the New Jersey Coordinator of Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies (NJCARES) distributed over 900,000 bags to independent pharmacies across the state with information on the importance of safely disposing of their unused, unwanted and expired medicine.
The opioid epidemic continues to ravage the country with overdose deaths rising to 29.4% last year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This adds urgency to safeguard medicine in the home by taking the American Medicine Chest Challenge.
AMCC-NJ is a project of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey with the support of ACEP, Covanta, Horizon Foundation for New Jersey and the Opioid Education of Foundation of America.
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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 217 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations
