Do you have a lot of unused prescription pills sitting around? More than likely, if you suffer from chronic health issues or have even had the occasional surgery, you have leftover pills of some kind sitting in a box or a bag.
It’s time to get rid of them. April 27, 2019, is Medication Take-Back Day in Fort Lauderdale and throughout the nation. The local police department is coordinating the event, and all medications collected will be destroyed in a way that is legal and safe for the environment.
It’s important not to simply dispose of your extra prescriptions yourself by throwing them in the trash. First, many medications can contaminate the environment once they make it into the ground or water. Second, addicts can and will search for drugs in the trash. That means you could find yourself feeding someone’s addiction without even realizing it.
You also shouldn’t let the unused pills simply pile up in your home. Many prescription drug addicts get their start when they “borrow” a few pills from a relative — sometimes with and sometimes without that relative’s knowledge. Your son, daughter, or grandchild could get started down the dark road of addiction very easily that way — and addiction often leads to prescription drug crimes like doctor seeking, prescription fraud and theft.
Remember, not only are pain medications like Oxycontin and Percocet abused. Other drugs that can become addictive. These include anti-anxiety meds like Ativan, anti-nausea drugs like Zofran, muscle relaxants like Zanaflex and sleep aids like Ambien. Even if you think a drug can’t be abused, play it safe and return it to a collection center instead of tossing it in a drawer.