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Drug Deactivation
Learn How to Safely Dispose of Your Medications
With mandates in place keeping the public home, now is a great opportunity to clean out medicine cabinets and storage areas and dispose of unwanted or unused prescription drugs. While prescription medications can help us live longer and healthier lives there is the potential for harm if these strong medications are improperly used.
Some of the most misused medications include opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine), depressants (Xanax, Valium, Ambien), and stimulants (drugs for ADHD, Ritalin, Adderall). You have the power to reduce the chances that these dangerous prescription drugs fall into the wrong hands by practicing safe use, safe storage, and safe disposal.
Prescription medication cannot simply be flushed down the toilet or tossed it into the trash before being deactivated. The Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition is continuing to distribute Deterra Drug Deactivation System – bags for free, thanks to a grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services. The Deterra bags help prevent drug misuse, promote home safety, and protect the environment.
Bags can be mailed directly to your home and each bag, 10 inches long by 5 inches wide, can hold up to 45 pills, 6 ounces of liquid or 6 patches at one time. Users place medication in the bag’s pouch, fill it halfway with warm tap water, let the bag sit open for 30 seconds, then seal it, shake it and toss it into the trash. Pouches are made from environmentally friendly materials, so they are biodegradable and safe for the environment.
Jodi Salvo
ADC Coordinator
330-440-7320
jsalvo@pfcs1.org.
Secure Rx Medication Drop-Off Sites
Safe Medication Practices
General safe practices
- Prescription:
- Only take as prescribed or directed by a healthcare professional or on product labeling. Contact your prescriber or pharmacist if you experience and side effects or allergic reactions
- Do not share prescription medications with anyone as this is illegal.
- Over the Counter (OTC):
- Know the dose
- Read the Drug Facts on the package
- Make sure children know that using OTC medicines incorrectly can cause harm.
- Prescription medications with potential for misuse and abuse
- Opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine)
- Depressants (Xanax, Valium, Ambien)
- Stimulants (drugs for ADHD: Ritalin, Adderall)
- Risk Factors for overdose and misuse
- Combining prescription opioids, anxiety, or stimulants with each other or with alcohol
- Taking more than prescribed
- Taking illicit or illegal opioids, like heroin or fentanyl, that could contain harmful substances
- Store in a secure place out of reach of others
- Consider a lockbox, medication safe, or other lockable box
- Avoid storage places where children and others can easily access such as drawers, nightstands, kitchen cabinets
- Block out any personal information on prescription containers before disposing of empty container.
- Do not flush medications down the toilet or drain so they do not enter our water supplies
- Dispose of unused medications and do not store for future use. Visitors in your home, including youth, may search medication cabinets for medications to assist in their addiction.
- Use Drug Take Back days or permanent prescription drug disposal locations (www.OhioRxDisposal.com) to dispose of expired or unused medications.
- Over the counter pain medications (ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen)
- Acupuncture or massage
- Applying heat or ice