Clean out your medicine cabinet! Protect our kids, families and the environment by properly disposing of your unwanted and expired medicines. Medicines in the home are a leading cause of accidental poisoning and flushed/trashed medicines can end up polluting our waters.  Over half of teens abusing medicines get them from a family member or friend, including the home medicine cabinet, and often without their knowledge.  
 
The recommendation for getting rid of those old, unwanted or expired drugs used to be flushing down the toilet or putting them down the sink. These recommendations were made specifically to prevent accidental ingestion and poisoning of children and pets. Studies over the past several years though have shown this might not be such a good idea. Measurable amounts of some drugs such as antibiotics, hormones, cardiac medications and others are showing up in our nation's waterways. Water treatment plants are unable to remove these compounds before they reach the environment. Throwing medications away with the trash may cause less pollution, but there is that risk that other people or animals may get hold of it. Privacy may also be a concern if containers have labels with names and other personal information.

 

The following recommendations may take more time and effort from caregivers than simple flushing, but they will prevent accidental poisonings as well as lessen the environmental impact of these drugs on the environment.

  • If a medication disposal program is not available in your area, the unwanted or expired medicine may be thrown away in the trash by following these steps:
  1. Liquids should be poured over paper towels, kitty litter, or coffee grounds and tightly wrapped in sealable or watertight containers or bags.
  2. Solids (pills, capsules, tablets) should be placed into a sealable or water tight container or bag and add a small amount of water to at least partly dissolve them. You might want to add an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or kitty litter so that they are less likely to be eaten.
  3. Place the container inside a package such as a box that doesn't show what's inside.
  4. Put the medication in the trash as close to pick up time as possible-do not place in recycling bins.
 
Always refer to the printed material accompanying medication for specific instructions.  

 

For information about treatment of unintentional ingestion and overdose of medicine (or any other poisoning), call toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to your local Poison Center: 1-800-222-1222! 

  
  
  
  
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Upcoming Events  

 

Calls to Poison Centers about synthetic drugs are on the rise across the country. We're proud to announce that Dr. Ashley Haynes of the North Texas Poison Center, in collaboration with the Collin County Substance Abuse Coalition and Children's Health, will be a presenter at a one-of-a-kind synthetics forum "Lethal High: How Synthetic Drugs are Killing Youth" for health care professionals on May 6. Space is limited. Please click here to register. 



The West Texas Regional Poison Center will be hosting Pills and Thrills
that Kill II Toxicology Review Course April 17 & 18 in El Paso. For more information, please click here.


   

 

 

A dangerous new synthetic drug has been showing up on the streets. Known as "Flakka", it is very similar in nature to bath salts and has very serious side effects if ingested. The name of the drug comes from its similarity to gravel. What makes this drug incredibly dangerous is that it is currently cheap and legal.

 

Here's what you need to know:

-It's also called "$5 insanity" because it causes users to have severe delusions and develop an almost super human strength

-It is highly addictive

-It can be swallowed, snorted, injected or even put in an e-cigarette

-The health problems can be significant with body temperature levels reaching 105 or 106 degree Fahrenheit thus causing kidney damage among other issues

-It is a designer drug that not even toxicology tests can detect

 

If you or someone you know has ingested Flakka, immediately call a Texas Poison Control Center for assistance at 1-800-222-1222. Click here to hear from Dr. Hail, a toxicologist at the North Texas Poison Center, about what this means for first responders and health care professionals!