Spring has sprung, and that means Americans are putting away their winter coats and giving their homes a good, spring cleaning. One place in your home that might not be on your list as you dust and de-clutter, but should be? The medicine cabinet! Just like the closet full of sweaters you haven’t worn in years or the freezer full of winter soups, the medicine cabinet should be cleaned out regularly so unused and unwanted medicines don’t collect over time.
Leftover drugs stored in home medicine cabinets can too easily get into the wrong hands. In fact, according to the Partnership at Drugfree.org, more than four in 10 teens who have misused or abused a prescription drug obtained it from their parents’ medicine cabinet. Easier access to prescription drugs has contributed to drug overdose deaths surpassing motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of injury and death in the United States.
Prescription drugs have become a deadly source of addiction for too many Americans. Fortunately, many local communities now have 24/7 medication disposal sites to collect your unused or expired medications. Responsible storage and disposal of your prescription medications is essential to keeping our communities healthy and safe.
Nemaha County Hospital has a medication disposal drop box located in the Emergency Room entrance. If you live in a community outside of Nemaha County, you can use this DEA website to find a location nearest you.
https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1
References:
https://www.bcbs.com/articles/spring-cleaning-dont-forget-your-medicine-cabinet
