By Laura Brinson
With the New Year, there often comes a focus on renewal and simplicity, paring down old items and making way for all of our new Christmas gifts. As you de-clutter after the Holidays, take the opportunity to go through your medicine cabinet and safely dispose of any expired/unused medications. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), most teenagers who abuse prescription medication got it free from a family or friend. Get rid of the supply by taking old medications to your local drug drop box, which can be found by visiting this website: http://nkdsf.org/index.php/pill-boxes/
While you are cleaning out your medicine cabinet, you can also take the time to lock up prescription medications to make sure they don’t get into the wrong hands. Every 10 minutes in the U.S. a child younger than 6 years old is taken to the ER for possible poisoning from swallowing a medicine (C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, 2012). Brightly colored medications can look like candy to young eyes, so put medications in a lock box or locked cabinet.
For more information on how you can keep your family safe and drug-free, please visit the Champions for a Drug-Free Grant County Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ChampionsForADrugFreeGrantCountyKY/
