Parenting Pointers: National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

What happens if the wrong hands discover an old, half full prescription medicine bottle deep in a cabinet without you knowing? The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Foundation and their AWARxE Consumer Protection Program wants you to know about the April 27  DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

More than half of prescription drug abusers 12 and older obtain those prescription drugs from family and friends. The good news is that proper disposal of unused drugs is one of the most effective ways to protect your loved ones from misuse. To provide a convenient means of safe drug disposal and help curb abuse, the DEA is hosting a Take-Back Day on April 27, 2013. Consumers can safely and legally dispose of any unneeded medications, anonymously and for free. Held from 10 AM to 2 PM on April 27, 2013, the event is one of the few days of the year where residents can drop off expired or unused prescription medications without having to wonder whether they will be accepted—even controlled substances, such as ADHD drugs and certain prescription pain medications, are collected.

 

I had a chance to learn more by interviewing Dr. Catizone, Executive Director of NABP and a licensed pharmacist.

1. We hear about certain prescriptions drugs more than others in the news in terms of abuse. Why should parents be concerned about all prescription drugs, not just the ones that they hear about most often?

Prescriptions are written for a specific individual based on a particular diagnosis and that individual’s medical history. When teens or others take a medication that is not meant for them, they risk dangerous side effects, injuries, hospitalization, and even death. Depending on the drug abused and the individual’s reaction, side effects associated with prescription drug abuse can include any of the following: dizziness, loss of appetite, unconsciousness, impaired memory, mood swings, loss of motor coordination, trouble breathing and rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Further, it is important to teach children and teens about safe use of all medications, including over-the-counter drugs to help shape healthy habits and attitudes. A survey at DrugFree.org suggests that some teens become desensitized to the dangers of abusing prescription drugs, which may even lead to abuse of illicit or “street drugs.” A teen respondent to the survey stated, “[T]aking pills made me much more open to taking x [ecstasy]. At a certain point, it just became another pill.”

2. What are some of the dangers of prescription drug abuse?

A primary concern is the risk of health injuries, overdose, and fatalities for anyone who abuses prescription drugs. When taken according to a doctor’s instructions, prescription drugs can bring positive health benefits. But when misused and abused, prescription drugs can have harmful health effects.

For example, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that every year, more than 15,000 people die from overdoses of prescription painkillers. And in 2009 alone, 1.2 million emergency department visits were related to misuse or abuse of prescription drugs, compared with 1.0 million visits related to use of illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Further, with the rise in prescription drug abuse, there has been a rise in people seeking treatment for addiction. Between 1998 and 2008, the proportion of people who were admitted for substance abuse treatment and reported abusing prescription pain relievers grew more than four times.

3. How widespread is the issue?

Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions across the country and touches all generations. In fact, in 2011, over 6 million people aged 12 or older abused prescription drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a government agency that conducts a national survey on related topics each year.

4. What are some ways to prevent it in our children?

An important step is to talk with teens about the serious dangers of prescription drug abuse. This step is important as many teens do not realize that abusing prescription drugs is just as dangerous as using illicit drugs.

There are many resources on AWARErx.org that can help initiate conversations with your children. For teens, a video recommended by AWAR_XE, called TheRoad to Nowhere, tells the story of a teen who experimented with prescription drugs at a party and became addicted to the drugs. Also, the AWAR_XE Student page includes resources for elementary school students, as well as for middle school and high school students.

5. How can parents safely store and dispose of prescription drugs to avoid them falling into the wrong hands?

Be sure to store medications out of sight and reach of children and to lock them up when possible. The bathroom cabinet is often not the best place for medications.

You may want to lock your medications in a cupboard or a medicine safe, especially to avoid unintentional use by your child or misuse by family or visitors to your home. Safe places might be in a linen closet or dresser drawer, if these are secure and out of children’s reach.

In addition to securing medications, you may want to keep a close eye on those medications stored in the home. Keep an inventory of the number of pills so that you can determine if any are missing. 

You can also remind babysitters, houseguests, and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicines in them out of sight and out of reach of children when they are in your home.

Both prescription drugs and OTC drugs should be securely stored.

If you have pills or medication that is no longer needed or has expired, dispose of it at an authorized DEA Take-Back location, or a local medication disposal program.

Cities and counties across the country provide permanent medication disposal programs. Many programs provide a drop-box at a police department – these programs can take controlled substance medications for disposal. Other programs are run by hazardous waste disposal agencies or other entities that cannot accept controlled substance medications, but can take all other unused drugs for safe disposal.

Many of the AWAR_XE Get Local pages have links to local disposal programs, and we are actively expanding these resources. We are happy to take information about local programs and post it on our Web site. Anyone who has information on a disposal program can e-mail the information they have to AWARErx@nabp.net and we will review it for inclusion on the respective state’s Get Local page.

If there are no drug disposal sites near you, there are options for disposing of drugs at home. The information that comes with your prescription may provide instructions on home disposal. Only some medications should be flushed down the toilet and the US Food and Drug Administration has a list of these drugs on its Web site. If there are no instructions for disposal you can throw the drugs in your home garbage. But first, take them out of the container and mix them with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or cat litter. Seal the mixture in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container that can be disposed of in the garbage.

More details about drug disposal are available on the AWAR_XE Medication Disposal page.

Links for cited Web pages:

• “Prescription Painkiller Overdoses in the U.S.,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• “Overdoses of Prescription Opioid Pain Relievers – United States, 1999-2008,” CDC