Ditch Prescription Drugs Saturday in Hopatcong

Soon you'll have a chance to get rid of the medicine that's been sitting in your drawer.

Hopatcong residents can dispose of prescription drugs at the on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All disposals will be anonymous.

Medicine Shoppe owner and pharmacist Tony Coppola said there's been an increase in prescription drug abuse over recent years.

"Basically, we're trying to get medications off the street and out of the public's hands," he said, "so that they're not accidently or intentionally abused by people who should be taking them. There's a big problem with drug abuse in America right now.

"It's always been a problem. But now I think it's come into the light. Prescription drug abuse surfaced as being a way for teenagers and certain adults who choose to abuse drugs to get them more easily."

Becky Carlson, the Center for Prevention and Counseling's assistant director, said many people don't know how to properly dispose of prescription drugs.

"Toilet, sink—it goes into the water system somehow eventually," she said. "This way it makes it very simple. It's in the community and it's through the police department."