It's Spring! Time to clean up your medicine cabinet of unneeded prescription medications. Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue. Proper disposal of unneeded drugs saves lives and protects the environment and our overall community!
The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends----and the home medicine cabinet. Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold. Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment. Take-back programs are the best way to dispose of old drugs. Visit DEATakeBack.com for a collection site near you.
If a program is not available, the DEA advises:
- Take the meds out of their bottles;
- Mix them with something unappealing like used kitty litter or coffee grounds;
- Seal them in a bag or disposable container, and throw that away
If you don't properly dispose of the unused or expired prescription drugs in your home, they might find a new one.
DEA. 6 October, 2020. DEA National Rx Take Back Social Media Campaign. Retrieved from https://www.dea.gov/dea-national-rx-take-back-social-media-campaign on 10 April, 2023
