LIMERICK PA – Limerick and Royersford area residents again this year will have an opportunity to rid themselves – for free – of old, outdated, unwanted, or no-longer-used prescription medications that pose both a hazard and a temptation for young family members, and which should not be simply discarded. Apparently, however, drop-off locations for “National Take-Back Day” will be slightly farther from home than last time.

Limerick Township Police have not yet committed, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, to participate in a late April (2011) Take-Back event as the department did last September. That’s when it staffed a Limerick Community Day booth specifically for the purpose.

Instead, police departments in nearby Lower Pottsgrove, Upper Providence and Phoenixville PA, and state troopers in Skippack, all will provide Take-Back services at which residents from anywhere in western Montgomery County are welcome to dispose of prescription drugs.

For most collection points, “National Take-Back Day” is scheduled for April 30 (Saturday) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to a 2009 federal study. Each day, about 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time, research conducted for the Partnership for a Drug Free America shows. Studies conclude that a portion of abused prescription drugs are obtained from home medicine cabinets.

That makes family prescription drug abuse a national, and local, problem.

National Take Back Day was launched during 2010 by the Justice Department to provide a way to dispose of such medications. The effort was deemed a huge success; about 3,000 state and local law enforcement agencies, including Limerick’s, participated nationwide.

During the fall township event, Police Chief William Albany said he was pleased with the number of local people who stopped by Limerick Community Park to take advantage of disposal. Several pounds of medications were collected to be incinerated. There was no explanation immediately available as to why Limerick is not participating in the April effort.

Participating in the April 30 event are the:

• Lower Pottsgrove Police Department, at its offices, 2199 Buchert Rd., Sanatoga PA;
• Phoenixville Police Department at two locations, Giant Supermarket, 700 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA, and at borough hall, 140 Church St.;
• Upper Providence Police Department, at its offices, 1286 Black Rock Rd., Oaks PA;
• Pennsylvania State Police, at its Skippack barracks, 2047-C Bridge Rd., Skippack PA;
• Douglass Township Police Department, at Giant Supermarket, 173 Holly Road, Gilbertsville PA;
• North Coventry Police Department, at Giant Supermarket, 86 Glocker Way, Pottstown PA;
• Amity Township Police Department, at its offices, 2004 Weavertown Rd., Douglassville PA; and
• Lower Frederick Township Police Department, at its offices, 5 Spring Mount Rd., Zieglerville PA.