Bill Text: NJ SJR124 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates fourth Saturday in April "Prescription Drug Take Back Day."
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-04 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [SJR124 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-SJR124-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Senator KRISTIN M. CORRADO
District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Designates fourth Saturday in April "Prescription Drug Take Back Day."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating the fourth Saturday in April as "Prescription Drug Take Back Day."
Whereas, According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the abuse of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America; and
Whereas, The DEA's 2016 National Survey on Drug Use found that 6.2 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs; and
Whereas, Many of the prescription drugs abused are opiates, and the United States is in the grip of an epidemic of opiate abuse; and
Whereas, Possession of expired, unwanted, or unused prescription medications can lead to abuse, overdose, or accidental poisoning; and
Whereas, The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs obtain them from friends and family, including obtaining unused drugs from medicine cabinets; and
Whereas, Common methods of disposal of drugs, such as throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the toilet, are unsafe and may cause environmental harm; and
Whereas, The safest method to dispose of unused prescription drugs is to turn them in to a drug take back program; and
Whereas, A prescription drug take back day is an event where temporary collection sites are set up in local communities for the safe and anonymous disposal of expired, unwanted, or unused prescription drugs; and
Whereas, The National Take Back Day of April 2018 saw the DEA partner with 186 law enforcement agencies at 202 collection sites in the State of New Jersey; and
Whereas, The organizers of this event collected 14,819 pounds of expired, unwanted, or unused prescription drugs at collection sites in the State of New Jersey; and
Whereas, In light of the success of National Take Back Day in taking dangerous prescription drugs off the street and preventing their abuse; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The fourth Saturday in April of each year is designated as "Prescription Drug Take Back Day" in New Jersey.
2. The Governor is respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation and call upon public officials, private organizations, and all citizens of this State to observe this celebration each year with appropriate programs and activities.
3. This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution declares the fourth Saturday in April as "Prescription Drug Take Back Day" in the State of New Jersey. This is a program run by the Drug Enforcement Agency that partners with local law enforcement agencies to run sites for the free and anonymous disposal of unwanted or unused prescription drugs. This method is the safest way to dispose of these drugs.
Prescription drug abuse is one of the most common forms of drug abuse, and many drugs abused by teens are acquired from the medicine cabinets of friends or family members. New Jersey has participated in previous take back days organized by the DEA, and has had a high rate of participation by law enforcement agencies and the general public. Establishment of this day will increase awareness of the program and of the dangers of the improper use of prescription drugs.
