Expert warns about dangers of storing unused and expired prescription medications

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – October 26th marks National Prescription Drug Take Back Day – an opportunity to sort out expired or excess medications.

However, the value of redemptions goes beyond simply cleaning up clutter.

Many experts agree that their storage is becoming a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisonings, overdoses and abuse.

“Contrary to popular belief, there is actually a high rate of drug abuse associated with prescription medications,” said Mark Maas, drug safety officer at Stormont Vail. “It’s not always street drugs”

Just because a medication is prescribed doesn't always mean it's safe to take – especially if it wasn't prescribed to you.

“If they no longer need the drug and leave it on the shelf, the only thing they're doing in that situation is potentially getting it into the hands of someone else, like curious teenagers or something like that,” said Meuse. “Then they take the medication and that’s just a recipe for disaster.”

The risk of little ones finding their way into something only increases the longer it's around, and even seemingly safe pills like vitamins and supplements can pose a risk.

According to Maas, “Iron supplements may actually be one of the most common causes of children dying from medications they shouldn't be taking.”

He urges those who need to take medication to keep it out of reach and dispose of it safely when the time comes, explaining that flushing the medication down the toilet is not an option as it could end up in the water supply, and there is no guarantee for this. are filtered out.

Simply throwing it away in the trash also poses a danger.

“Others could get into the trash and obtain the drugs for their own purposes, and that can also pose a safety risk,” Maas said.

While most pharmacies accept medication daily, you can find the participant addresses for the upcoming Take Back Day here.

Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.