Promote Personal and Community Health by Safely Managing Medication

Keith Prouse, Market Pharmacy Director, Lourdes Health & Trios Health

Medications are often an essential part of healing from an illness or injury and can be critical to treating ongoing health conditions. Unfortunately, medications can also create dangerous and harmful situations for yourself and your community if used incorrectly or disposed of improperly. That's why it’s so important to establish and maintain safe medication habits.

Medication Safety Best Practices

Medications are proven to provide many health benefits, but their misuse can pose a serious health risk to you and your community. According to findings from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly 40% of people who misused pain relievers in the past year obtained them from a friend or relative. The good news is there are some simple steps you can take to practice medication safety:

•  Use medications responsibly. Take your medications only as prescribed by your provider, and don’t share your prescription medications with anyone. Here are some other helpful tips:

o Always keep a current list of the medications you are taking, including ones you only take on occasion. Share your list with close family members and keep a copy in your wallet.

• • • Include the medication name, dose, how often you take it, the method for taking it (by mouth, injection, etc.) and the reason for taking it.
    • Don’t forget to include over-the-counter drugs, herbals, vitamins and dietary supplements.
    •  Include any allergies, the names and phone numbers of your providers and your preferred pharmacy on this list.

o Reach out to your provider or pharmacist if you have questions about side effects or drug interactions with your medications.

• Ensure proper storage. Always lock the cap on medicine bottles and keep your medicines in a safe and secure location out of the reach of children and out of sight from friends and visitors. Each year, approximately 35,000 children younger than 5 years old end up in the Emergency Room after overdosing on medications when caregivers aren’t present, and many people who misuse pain medications obtain them from a friend or relative.
• Safely dispose of unused or expired medications. Never throw your medications in the trash or flush them down the toilet. Discarded medications can be easily retrieved and abused or illegally sold, and medicines flushed down the toilet can contaminate the community water supply. Safely dispose of your unused and expired medications to help prevent accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse, while promoting a healthy environment for your family and neighbors.

Find a Medication Drop Box or Take-Back Program Near You

Medication drop boxes are a convenient, free and anonymous way to safely dispose of your unused and expired medications. They can be found at the following locations in our community:

See available drop box locations in your area by searching at this link: http://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch

These locations are available year-round to make is easy for you to drop off unused or expired medications that are not being used in your medicine cabinet. By properly disposing of unused medications, you are helping to make your home and community healthier. If you would like more information on prescription drug use, visit www.DEA.gov, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.JustThinkTwice.com. If you would like more information about safe medication use, visit http://consumermedsafety.org/.