Alison Crane
Garland County Extension Service
Over 6 billion prescriptions are filled each year in the U.S. and nearly nine out of every 10 Americans regularly use over the counter medicines such as aspirin and allergy medications. This adds up to hundreds of pills and other forms of medication being available in almost every household across the country.
Medications save the lives of countless people when used correctly and help improve quality of life. But there is a danger to medicine and parents have an obligation to make sure the medications in their home are kept in a safe place and used properly. Safe use, storage and disposal of medicines are important because approximately 35,000 children will be treated in emergency departments this year from dosing errors by adults or getting into the medicines on their own. During this year approximately 3.7 million people will misuse prescriptions for the first time.
While these statistics are high, families can take steps to make their homes as safe as possible and gain peace of mind. The CDC has many suggestions, start with these three tips for making sure that the medications in your home are being used and handled properly.
When giving medicine to your child: Know what the right dose is for your child and give it using the correct dosing device for that medicine. Household spoons are not accurate.
When storing medicine: Think -- UP, AWAY, & SAFE. Up high enough that a child can't reach it, put away and never left out on a counter or in an accessible place, and safely stored in the original container with a childproof lid and in a secure place.
When disposing of out of date or unused medicine, take advantage of the free Take Back locations all over Arkansas to safely dispose of medication without worrying about it getting into the environment or the wrong hands. Visit Arkansas Take Back.org for locations near you.
Taking the time to educate yourself on how to safely dispose of medications can prevent a family catastrophe and prevent drugs from being abused or possibly entering the water system. You can use the free Extension Fact Sheet -- Safe Medicine Disposal in Arkansas or contact the Garland County Extension Service for programs and information available in person. To reach us, call 501-623-6841 or email [email protected].
Make 2024 a great year by making plans to come Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. to the Garland County Library for the monthly Wonderful Wednesdays! Series starting with "Prescription Drug Disposal: Do's, Don'ts, and Staying Safe. This program is free and sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service and the GCEHC.
If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact the Garland County Extension as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.