If you or someone in your household is using prescription opioids for pain relief, it is important to ensure you follow certain procedures in order to prevent misuse, addiction and overdose from occurring. Three basic tips to follow include:
- Store opioids in a secure location.
- Never share prescription opioids.
- Dispose of leftover or expired prescription opioids properly.
When it comes to medication such as opioids, it is important to store them in a location that is more secure than simply placing them in your medicine cabinet. When kept in the medicine cabinet, opioids can very easily be accessed by children, family members and anyone who visits your home. This increases the risk of the medication being abused. Similarly, you should never purposely share your prescription with someone else. Sadly, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that more than half of those who misuse prescribed opioids get them from a friend or relative.
Disposal of Opioid Medication
To dispose of leftover or expired medication, consider following these tips:
- Remove the label that contains your name and any other identifying information.
- Check to see if your municipal trash offers any drop-off options within your community, such as dropping the medication off at your local police station.
- Contact pharmacies and health care clinics to see if they have drop-off boxes or specially designed drug disposal envelopes that can be used to mail the medication to an approved facility.
- Flush the medication down toilet or mix it with kitty litter, dirt or coffee grounds before throwing it away.
For more information about opioids or opioid treatment programs such as the use of suboxone, contact Advanced Spine & Rehab today!