Prescription medications have
become an important part of our lives. They help us manage pain or treat a
health condition. But what do we do with them once they have expired or are no
longer needed? How do we make sure they are safe and secure while we are using
them?
You can dispose of them in
prescription-drug drop boxes, now available throughout Windham County. The drop
boxes allow for the safe, anonymous disposal of expired or unwanted
prescription medications that could otherwise be misused or end up in our
environment.
The non-medical use of
prescription drugs such as Oxycodone continues to raise public safety concerns.
Unfortunately, we have to be aware of how our medications are stored and
disposed of in order keep them out of the hands of those who may misuse them.
Seventy percent of users of non-medical prescription pain relievers obtain their
drugs for free from a friend or relative. Most of the time, these medications
are taken without our knowledge or permission. Teens frequently say they were
able to get prescription medications from their parent or grandparent’s
medicine cabinet.
What can you do to safely secure
your medications?
- Keep your medications locked or hidden.
- Keep count of your medications.
- Talk to your family about the dangers of abusing prescription medications.
- Make sure your children or grandchildren know they are not to be used or shared.
- Properly dispose of all prescription medications once expired or no longer needed.
- Collect all expired or unused prescription pills or patches and place in disposable bag.
- Drop off medications at the most convenient box near you.
- The process is completely anonymous.
Items that cannot be taken:
- Medical equipment or accessories (needles, syringes, Epi-Pens, inhalers, etc.)
- Any liquid materials
- Bloody, infectious or business waste
- Bellows Falls Police Department: 170 Rockingham St., Bellows Falls (open 24/7)
- Windham County Sheriff’s Department: 11 Jail St., Newfane (open 7am-10pm daily)
- Brattleboro Police Department: 230 Main St., Brattleboro (open 24/7)
For more information about
prescription drug disposal efforts and other initiatives to prevent the misuse
and abuse of prescription drugs, contact the Greater Falls Prevention Coalition
at www.gfpcandtheline.org or
802.463.9927.
Chad Simmons is media coordinator
for the Greater Falls Prevention Coalition, whose mission is to
connect the community of Windham Northeast by inspiring and empowering people
through education and collaboration to promote wellness and prevent the abuse
of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
“Old
age ain’t no place for sissies,” Bette
Davis said. Well, sissies or not, we’re all headed for that place. And the
better we know the geography, the easier it will be to navigate.
“Aged
in Vermont” is a monthly article on aging issues, organized by Westminster
Cares. We’re asking local professionals and residents with an interest in these
issues to write them.
The
articles are not just reading material for the “aged.” Young, old and
middle-aged readers – anyone with an
elderly parent, relative or friend, or who just wants to learn about these
important issues that affect us all – is invited to take a look. Remember:
“It’s not how old you are; it’s how you are old.”
We
address such topics as losing a pet, sleeping problems, supplements, advanced
directives and creativity. We explore questions such as should I move to town?
and decision making: whose life is this anyway?
Ideas
for future columns? Would you like to write one? We’d like to hear from you.
Email Ronnie Friedman at wecares@sover.net.
