Teens often begin abusing opioid painkillers after they get a prescription for one.
Once a child or family member no longer needs the medications, parents must get rid of them properly. Here are some safe ways to throw out unused medication:
- You can visit both Ncada-Stl.org and MissouriP2D2.org for lists of places that will take back unused or expired prescription medications.
- You can purchase special bags that make a drug inactive. Put the drug in the bag and throw it in the garbage.
- Never flush unused pills down the toilet. Instead, add water to pills and mix them with kitty litter or coffee grounds in a container you can seal with duct tape. Throw this in the garbage.
Also, never toss pills into an open garbage can. Someone can dig them out and abuse them. A curious child can also see one, swallow it and get poisoned.
