Answer Addiction

Tag: medication disposal

  • Google Maps Now Points Users To Drug Disposal Sites

    Google Maps Now Points Users To Drug Disposal Sites

    The tech giant aims to help people with opioid prescriptions get rid of excess pills in the hopes of preventing them from being abused.

    Tech giant Google wants to do its part to combat the opioid epidemic by making it easy for users to find places where the can drop off unneeded medications.

    If people search for “drug drop off near me” or “medication disposal near me,” Google Maps will find nearby pharmacies, hospitals, or government buildings where they can dispose of pills that could otherwise be abused.

    The project was part of a cooperative effort between Google, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and state governments as well as private pharmacy companies like Walgreens and CVS.

    “Addiction to opioids can start after just five days of use, and the majority of prescription drug abuse (53%) starts with drugs obtained from family and friends,” wrote Dane Glasglow, Google Maps’ vice president of product, in a blog post. “That’s why Google wants to help people get rid of leftover pills that are sitting in people’s medicine cabinets, and to make drug disposal locations easier for people to find with a simple search.”

    Such medications are usually prescribed for good reason, especially in cases of recovery after surgeries for ailments like broken bones, burns, or serious illness.

    “Treating pain adequately helps recovery, reduces the downstream psychiatric and psychological effects,” said Dr. Elliot J. Krane. “In the absence of risk factors or concerns about the child’s home environment, I am more concerned about deleterious effects of untreated pain than I am about creating somebody with substance abuse disorder.”

    Some families might think it’s clever to keep these powerful painkillers for future use, but health experts warn that just having the medications in the house can boost the potential for abuse.

    “You should not keep them for use for a future time,” Dr. Linda J. Mason said. “These are for a specific surgery.”

    Google’s ease in involving itself in such an intervention should come as no surprise to those who are aware of the massive amounts of data the tech giant has kept on its users. A study has found that Google can predict the onset of overdoses in a given area by tracking certain search terms.

    “For a number of fiscal and practical reasons, data on heroin use have been of poor quality, which has hampered the ability to halt the growing epidemic,” the researchers wrote. “Internet search data, such as those made available by Google Trends, have been used as a low-cost, real-time data source for monitoring and predicting a variety of public health outcomes.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 6 Ways To Safely Dispose Of Prescription Medications

    6 Ways To Safely Dispose Of Prescription Medications

    Drop-off boxes and drug disposal bags are among a few of the best methods for properly disposing of expired or unused medication.

    Simply throwing unused medications in the garbage doesn’t cut it. 

    There are better, safer methods when it comes to disposing of prescription medications, according to U.S. News and World Report. 

    Disposing of such items is something nearly everyone will face at some point. There are numerous reasons to safely dispose of medications, including to protect pets, family and even yourself. 

    “Keeping extra medications in your home can put other people or pets at risk,” Lindsay Slowiczek, a pharmacist and drug information research fellow at the Center for Drug Information and Evidence-Based Practice at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, tells U.S. News. “Children, elderly people and pets could accidentally take these medications and experience dangerous side effects or even experience a toxic overdose, due to their smaller size.” 

    Additionally, data implies that many users of heroin began with prescription medications. Eliminating such medications from your home can lessen the risk of someone using them the wrong way. 

    To safely dispose of prescription drugs, U.S. News recommends the following:

    1. Locate a drop-off box. This is perhaps the best option for disposing of unneeded medications, the site states. Such boxes tend to be located at places like law enforcement offices, pharmacies and hospitals. The nearest drop-off box can be found by visiting www.rxdrugdropbox.org or asking local law enforcement or waste management. 

    2. Research options for disposing of the medications yourself. Sometimes packaging on the medication will include directions for disposal, U.S. News states. If unable to locate such directions, try mixing the uncrushed medications into an unappealing substance, like coffee grounds or cat litter. Place this in a sealed bag and into the garbage, being sure to scratch out any information about the type of medication or personal information.

    3. Purchase a drug disposal bag. Such bags include a substance to deactivate medications or include a container in which you combine the medication with a powder or liquid to make it harder to access. These can often be found online. Walmart even gives away such kits. 

    4. Determine if a medication should be flushed. U.S. News states that because some medications—such as painkillers, anxiety medications and stimulants—present an increased risk, they should be flushed down the toilet. Such medications can be fatal to those without a prescription. Check the FDA website for a list of flushable medications.

    5. Take advantage of a Drug Take-Back Day. In April and October, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has temporary locations to collect unwanted medications. At the most recent event on April 28, nearly 1 million pounds of unwanted medications were collected. Locations for Drug Take-Back Days can be found at www.takebackday.dea.gov.

    6. Touch base with hospice providers. Many people who were in hospice care and passed away were likely on prescription medications. It is a good idea to find out about the handling of prescription medication disposal with hospice providers, as some provide the service. 

    View the original article at thefix.com