2 Methods for Safely Disposing of Medications

Now is a great time to clean out your medicine cabinets and get rid of any old or unwanted medications. Getting rid of old and wanted medications is a great way to help reduce the chances of them being taken accidently, used past their expiration date, or abused by drug addicts. Prescription drug abuse has been on a steady rise here in America. In fact, statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that one person dies as a result of prescription drug abuse every 19 minutes. According to a 2011 national survey, more than 70% of those who abuse prescription pain get the medications from their friends or relatives, often stealing them without their knowledge.

In an effort to help prevent prescription drugs from getting into the hands of addicts looking to abuse them, and to keep medications from seeping into our water supply (which happens when they are flushed down a toilet), the US Dept. of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has teamed up with local agencies across the nation to hold a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from 10am-2pm on Saturday September 27^th 2014. To find a location near you, visit the DEA’s Office of Diverson Control website at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/ and click on the link that says “Locate a Collection Site Near You”. Simply drop off any old, unused, and unwanted medications and the agency will properly dispose of them for you.

For those who miss their local take-back day or live in more rural areas where there isn’t easy access to a drug take-back program, Mountainside Medical Equipment offers the RxDestroyer Drug Disposal System. This self contained system is a viable and cost-efficient alternative to stopping at one of the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day collection sites. It’s great for using at home, as well as in large facilities and long-term care centers. Simply drop the medications in the bottle of solution, give the bottle a little shake, and the solution will break-down and neutralize the medications so that they can’t be stolen/abused by others. Rx Destroyer is an easy-to-use and eco-friendly method of disposing unwanted medications without contaminating the water supply.

Whether you decide to use the Rx Destroyer System or drop your medications off at one of the local National Prescription Drug Take-Back Sites, both options are safe, convenient, and environmentally friendly methods of disposing of medications.

Sources:

http://www.health.mil/News/Articles/2014/09/23/Clean-Out-Your-Medicine-Cabinet-for-Medication-Take-Back-Day

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/