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Web Site: http://www.rushford.org
- A Hartford HealthCare Partner 883 Paddock Ave., Meriden, CT 06450
Tel: (203) 630-5280 Fax: (203) 634-2799

Rushford is dedicated to meeting the substance abuse and mental health needs of children, adults, and families. Rushford strives to provide affordable and accessible services in prevention, treatment and recovery.

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Store And Get Rid of Your Prescription Drugs Safely

September 5, 2013

Do you know how to safely and appropriately store or dispose of your medications? Many people store prescriptions in the bathroom medicine cabinet or the kitchen cabinet. Both are unsafe. Bathroom medicine cabinets are humid areas, which can affect the potency of prescription medications.

Kitchen cabinets are the most common storage area, which invites theft. Prescriptions can disappear after visitors or service technicians have been to the home. Someone in recovery for drug abuse reports that when doing home repairs, he/she would ask for a drink of water. If the homeowner directed this person to the cabinet where drinking glasses and prescription drugs were both stored, it was tempting.

Many don't realize that pills are missing until they are denied a refill because it is not yet due. No one wants to believe a family member or friend would steal medications; far too often medications are left in view of teens who are tempted to experiment, unaware of the dangers of taking someone else's medications.

Tips for safekeeping Keep all prescriptions out of site. If you are having household repairs, lock up your prescriptions. When hosting visitors, keep medications out of site. Teen prescription drug misuse is on the rise. If selling your house, keep all medications secured. Your home is now open to strangers.

Tips for disposal Appropriately discard medications that you no longer use. Take advantage of community medication take-back events. Many police departments work with the Drug Enforcement Agency to host events where unused medications can be dropped off.

Do not flush unused medications down the toilet. This contaminates rivers and water-ways. Take medications out of their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter.

This will make the medication less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash. Then place the medications in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent the medication from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.

For more information contact Sheryl Sprague, Manager of Prevention and Wellness, Rushford, A Hart-ford Healthcare Partner at 203-630-5357 or sspragu@rushford.org.

 
 

Member News is provided as a service of the Midstate Chamber of Commerce and is also featured in the monthly "Chamber News" newsletter mailed to members.

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