Take steps to prevent prescription drug abuse

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We all have them, but most of us don’t know what to do with them — old medications from dental work, an injury, illness or hospital visit. Most of the time, they just sit in our medicine cabinets or under our bathroom sinks, collecting dust.

Occasionally, we’ll think to dispose of them, throw them in the trash or flush them down the toilet. But, we don’t want those medicines, many of which can be toxic in large doses, to get in to the water supply or contaminate our landfill.

Chatham Drug Free, along with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department, Pittsboro Police Department, Siler City Police Department and Siler City Pharmacy, have partnered to provide Chatham County residents with a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of those unwanted and unneeded medications — Prescription Drug Disposal Drop Boxes.

According to the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA), deaths from prescription drug abuse have skyrocketed over the past few years, making it higher than the number of deaths involving heroin and cocaine combined. In addition, misuse of prescription drugs often leads to abuse of heroin, which is also on the rise.

Every day in the United States, 2,500 youths abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. Teens often mistakenly believe that taking prescription medication is safer than illegal or street drugs, regardless of for whom they are prescribed.

Chatham Drug Free is working to educate parents and other caregivers about the dangers of prescription drug abuse and ways to keep those medications out of the wrong hands. Our partnership with local law enforcement and area pharmacies gives residents of Chatham County a safe place to dispose of their medications so that our youth will be less likely to abuse them.

Parents and other caregivers have a crucial role in reducing youth access to medications that could potentially be deadly. In addition to disposing of unwanted medications, parents and caregivers can inventory and secure all medications in their home, monitor their child’s activity and become knowledgeable about the warning signs of prescription drug abuse in order to help protect them.

CADCA, the Community Anit-Drug Coalitions of America advises the following:

• TALK to your teen about prescription and over-the-counter cough medicine abuse. Teens listen, even if they act like they don’t. In fact, teens that learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are 50% less likely to use drugs.

• SAFEGUARD your medicine cabinets. Take steps to protect your teens by safeguarding all the medicines you have in your home. Know what you have and how much, so you will know if anything is missing. Properly discard any medicines you no longer need.

• SHARE what you have learned with other parents. Get to know your children’s friends. Don’t be afraid to call parents to verify that there will be supervision at parties and outings.

• SPEAK UP at school meetings, sports events, community events and other gatherings of parents to make sure others active in your teen’s day-to-day activities know about the dangers of medicine abuse. Circulate articles via your school Listserv or write a letter to the editor to your newspaper. Blog, Facebook or Tweet about it to alert your friends and peers.

Learn more at www.PreventRxAbuse.org and www.StopMedicineAbuse.org.

Prescription Medication Drop Boxes, which look like UPS or FedEx mail boxes, are available at the Pittsboro Police Department, Siler City Police Department, Chatham County Detention Center and Siler City Pharmacy. In addition, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has a portable drop box that is available for community events. Call the Community Service Officer at 919.542.2811 for more information or to schedule a time to have the drop box come to your community. Scheduled mobile drop box events can be found at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

The Drop Boxes are a wonderful resource for our community. We hope community members will take advantage of them and help us keep prescription medications out of the wrong hands.

George Greger-Holt is the coordinator of Chatham Drug Free. For additional information, visit the Chatham Drug Free at www.chathamdrugfree.org, or contact Greger-Holt at ggregerholt@gmail.com or by phone at (919) 545-5333.