Medications Safely is One Way to Prevent Misuse
Is your medicine cabinet full of expired drugs or medications you no longer use? Your medicine is for you. What’s safe for you might be harmful for someone else. The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take back program — or you can do it at home with safe medication disposal pouches.
Drug Take Back Programs
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in communities nationwide. Many communities also have their own drug take back programs. Check with your local law enforcement officials to find a location near you or with the DEA to find a DEA-authorized collector in your community. You can also check with your pharmacist or your local drug prevention coalition. Some pharmacies offer on-site medicine drop-off boxes, mail-back programs, and other ways to help you safely dispose your unused medicines. Your local drug prevention coalition can also provide you with safe medication disposal pouches and information.
What Are Safe Medication Disposal Pouches?
Safe Medication Disposal Pouches can be used at home or other settings where there may be left over medications. It is the safest, most effective choice used to destroy and properly dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medications with the simple addition of tap water.
How Do Safe Medication Disposal Pouches Work?
Each Safe Medication Disposal Pouch contains a water-soluble inner pod containing proprietary activated carbon. To dispose of prescription or over the counter medications, a user places the drugs in the pouch and adds water, which dissolves the inner pod and releases the activated carbon. The carbon binds to the active ingredients in the medications. Once deactivated, the drugs are permanently and irreversibly destroyed, unavailable for misuse and safe for disposal in the normal trash.
What drugs will Safe Medication Disposal Pouches deactivate?
Safe Medication Disposal Pouches will deactivate organic medications including opioids. However, they will not adsorb biologics, such as vaccines and immunotherapeutics which are typically administered in a healthcare setting. Additionally, inorganic medications, such as antacids, lithium and iron supplements will not be adsorbed. If your medication has specific disposal instructions, please follow the directions as given.
How quickly does the deactivation process start?
With Safe Medication Disposal Pouches, the process of deactivation starts immediately, but it can take time to complete. Some highly soluble drugs will dissolve and adsorb rapidly, while other less soluble drug types will take longer to dissolve and adsorb. The deactivation period varies based on volume and type of medication. As an additional safety precaution, it is important to keep the pouches out of reach of children and pets as the medication is deactivated.
Permanent Drug Disposal Boxes and Access to Safe Disposal Pouches
There are several options for residents in Doddridge County to dispose of unused and unwanted prescription medications. The Doddridge County Sherriff’s Department and the Town of West Union building have permanent drop boxes for safe disposal. Michels Pharmacy will also take them back for disposal. Should you be interested in receiving Safe Medication Disposal Pouches (at no cost to you) you can reach out to Brian Lipscomb with the Doddridge County Prevention Partnership, Doddridge County’s Drug Prevention Coalition at (304)871-1090 or [email protected].
References: FDA.gov (2022), Deterrasystem.com (2022)