68% of People Who Abuse Prescription Drugs Admit They Got Them From a Friend or Relative
Tips for Proper Drug Lock Up
One of the biggest contributing factors to prescription drug abuse is the easy accessibility. For most teens it is as simple as opening the medicine cabinet. According to a
report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the number of deaths from prescription drug overdoses rose 280% from 2001 to 2014. Using a lockbox is one way to curb access to these potentially dangerous drugs.
Hide the lockbox in a place known only to you. Consider adding over-the-counter medications to this lockbox as they can also be abused. Encourage relatives to participate in these safe practices. The goal is to safeguard your teen from harm in your home and the homes of those your teen frequents.
In addition to locking up prescription medications, there are some easy steps adults can take to discourage prescription drug abuse at home:
- Keep an inventory list of all of the prescription medications in your house. Do a periodic check (at least twice a year) to see if any medications are missing or expired.
- Monitor the number of refills on your prescriptions. If you feel you are making frequent trips to the pharmacist, it might indicate a problem.
- Check with your pharmacist or local law enforcement about proper drug disposal and drug take-back events. Community drug take-back events are the most recommended method for disposing of medications.
- Don’t share prescription medications with other members of the household. Children mimic behavior of adults. If they see you sharing medications with other adults in the household, teens will assume it is safe for anyone to take them.
For additional information regarding proper drug disposal visit the
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) website.
