Prescription drug safety is pretty simple with ongoing attention. Follow these four simple steps to keeping your loved ones safe.
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- Only use medicines prescribed to YOU! When you use a medicine under a doctor’s direction they can monitor for drug interactions, adverse side effects, and possible dependence.
- Secure and monitor medicines in your home. Lock boxes are ideal, but you can also keep it in out of reach secured areas. A medicine cabinet is NOT ideal because of its easy access.
- Talk to your children and teens about not taking medicines, including over the counter medicines, without your knowledge. Related to this, if you are visiting loved ones, talk to them about securing their medicines.
- Dispose of any unused, unwanted, or expired medicines.
Saturday, April 27th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day!
Bring any unwanted, unused, or expired medications to any of the five Lamoille Valley sites from 10:00am -2:00pm. No questions asked. Hardwick Police Department, Stowe Police Department, Kinney Drugs in Morrisville and Cambridge, and the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department in Hyde Park. These sites are accepting pills only and cannot accept liquids or sharps.
If you’re not able to make it to one of these sites on April 27th there are four year-round take back kiosks in our area, located at the Hardwick Police Department, Copley Hospital (in the hallway outside the lab), the Morrisville Police Department, and the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department.
Prepaid mail back envelopes are also available in many locations around the region; call Michelle Salvador at the Department of Health for more information, 802-888-2581.
Let’s work together to create safe communities – do your part!
Visit www.healthvermont.gov/alcohol-drugs/services/prescription-drug-disposal for more information!