While recently cleaning out our
medicine cabinets, I came across some over-the-counter and prescription
medications that dated back to ... the first Bush administration! Old,
expired or just plain dusty, it was time to toss them -- but how? Was
it OK to just throw them in the trash? I decided to check with the experts,
and it’s a good thing I did.
Best
Way to Dispose of … Most Drugs
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) recently updated its guidelines
for safely disposing of unused or expired medications. For most drugs
-- such as heartburn medications, antibiotics and antihistamines -- the
FDA recommends a three-step process:
1. Mix unused drugs
with an “undesirable substance,” like used coffee
grounds or kitty litter.
2. Put the mix in a
sealed plastic bag so contents won’t leak.
3. Place the sealed
bag in the trash.
Best
Way to Dispose of … Powerful Drugs
However, certain
medications -- such as powerful narcotic pain relievers -- should be
flushed down the toilet to prevent abuse or accidental ingestion by
kids or animals, says Mitchel Rothholz, a registered pharmacist and
chief strategy officer for the American Pharmacists Association. The
reason: “Abuse of prescription pain relievers, such as
oxycodone and morphine, as well as stimulants and other controlled
medications, has been on the rise,” he explains. Plus,
accidental exposure to these medications can be harmful -- in some
cases even deadly -- with just one dose. Flushing removes the danger
from the picture. For a complete list of medications that should be
flushed, visit the FDA’s “Disposal
of Unused Medicines”
Web page.
Best
Way to Dispose of … Unused Drugs
Meanwhile, community take-back programs -- in which unused drugs are
collected by pharmacies or community or government organizations -- are
cropping up across the country. The Drug
Enforcement Administration
conducts one every April. During the rest of the year, you may be able
to find drop-off locations near you through the Product Stewardship
Institute’s Drug Take-Back
Network.
So if you haven’t
cleaned out your medicine cabinet lately, add it to your list of
spring-cleaning chores. Then take advantage of a take-back program or
follow the new FDA guidelines to keep your family safe from the dangers
of accidental ingestion.
Stacey
Colino has
written for The Washington Post's health
section and many national magazines, including
Newsweek, Woman's Day, SELF, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Parenting, Sports
Illustrated and
Ladies' Home Journal. Stacey
is a frequent contributor to Live
Right Live Well.
| 
Poll
