Transcript Lock Your Meds! - National Triad

Lock Your Meds
BE AWARE. DON'T SHARE.
Your
Home
Medicine
Cabinet:
Does it
look like
this?
FACTS:
80% U.S. adults use Rx,
OTC, or dietary
supplements.
5 out of 6 people 65+
take at least one
prescription.
Over 30% of adults take
5 or more different
medications.
92% of multiple Rx
users are 50+.
Misuse versus Abuse
MISUSE: The use of medication for a
medical purpose other than as directed
or indicated, whether willful or
unintentional, and whether harm results
or not.
 ABUSE: The intentional selfadministration of a medication for a
nonmedical purpose, such as "getting
high."

Prescription drug abuse
is the fastest-growing
drug problem in the U.S.
Some people, particularly
teens, believe these
substances are safer
than illicit drugs because
they are prescribed by a
health care professional
and sold behind the
counter.
Because prescription drugs
are legal, they are easily
accessible, often from a
home medicine cabinet.
Drugs of Choice for Youth:
Marijuana
 Prescription drugs
 Ecstasy
 Methamphetamine

Every day 2500 teens abuse a Rx drug
for the first time. (National Council on Patient
Information and Education)
Teens and Their Attitudes
(SAMSHA National Survey on Drug Use & Health)

1 in 5 teens report
abusing Rx drugs to get
high (over 4.5 million)



31% believe there's
"nothing wrong" with
using Rx drugs with no
prescription
2 in 5 teens believe
that Rx drugs are
"much safer" than
illegal drugs
Nearly 3 in 10 teens
believe Rx pain
relievers are not
addictive
Dangers of Rx Drug Abuse

Among teenagers, 7 of the top 10 abused
substances are pharmaceuticals.
Between 1997 - 2007, treatment admissions
for Rx pain relievers increased more than
400%.
 Between 2004-2008,
ER visits involving nonmedical pain relievers
use increased 111%.

The New Party Drugs
PHARMING
A survey of teens by the Partnership for a
Drug-Free America found that:
 1 in 5 teens has tried Vicodin, a powerful
and addictive opioid pain reliever.
 1 in 10 has tried OxyContin, another
prescription opioid.
 1 in 11 has admitted to
getting high on cough
medicine.
Prescription Drug Abuse



According to the National Survey on Drug Use and
Health, pain relievers are the most widely diverted
and abused Rx medications.
According to the DEA, controlled pain relievers,
tranquilizers, and sedatives are abused primarily by
teens (12 to 17) and young adults (18 to 25).
These Rx drugs include:
 Codeine
 Oxycodone
 Hydrocodone
 Fentanyl
 Morphine
Find out as much as you can.
 Learn and share the facts about
prescription drug and over-the-counter
drug abuse in your community.
 Share the facts about the legal
consequences of drugs.

Do You Know These Rx Facts?
o You cannot predict the effect that a Rx drug
can have on someone.
o Abusing or misusing Rx
drugs can lead to addiction,
impairment, or even death.
o Addiction and dependency
can be treated, but it is a
long and hard process.
o It is far better not to start.
o There are also legal
consequences.
It is up to us to
learn the facts
and become
aware.
It is up to us to take
preventative steps to
protect our grandkids,
families, and caregivers.
Take Preventative Steps

Remove drugs from your medicine
cabinet:
 Hide them.
 Lock them up.
 Take them out of your
house.
Take Preventative Steps

Safeguard all medicines that have to
remain at home by:
 Monitoring
quantities.
 Controlling access.
Take Preventative Steps

Take inventory:

Write down the names and amounts of
medications you currently have.

Regularly check to see if anything is
missing.

Don't share your
medications.
Take Preventative Steps

Warn your grandchildren, family members,
and caregivers that taking prescription or
OTC drugs without a health care
provider's supervision can be just as
dangerous and potentially lethal as taking
street drugs.
Proper disposal of
old, expired, or
unused medicines
Proper Disposal of Rx Drugs

Take your prescription drugs out of their
original containers.

Mix drugs with an undesirable substance,
such as coffee grounds or kitty litter.

Put the mixture into a disposable
container with a lid, such as an empty
margarine tub or a sealable bag.
Proper Disposal of Rx Drugs

Conceal or remove any personal
information, including Rx number, on the
empty containers by covering with black
permanent marker or duct tape or by
scratching it off.

Place the sealed container with the
mixture and the empty drug containers in
the trash.
Proper Disposal of Rx Drugs

DO NOT flush prescription drugs down the
toilet or drain unless the label or
accompanying patient information
specifically instructs you to do so.

For information on drugs that should be
flushed, visit the FDA website.
DRUG DISPOSAL PROGRAMS
Community Drug Take-Back
Programs
Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Events
Nationwide Rx Drug
Take-Back Day
2,992 State/Local law enforcement agencies
netted more than 121 TONS of medication!!
Clark County (OH) Sheriff's Office
Clark County (OH) Sheriff's Office
Allen, Texas Police Department
Cars lined up in Allen, Texas to drop off prescription drugs
at a collection site.
The Time to Act Is Now!
Lock Your Meds
BE AWARE. DON'T SHARE.
You are the key to your
grandchild's,
family member’s, or
caregiver’s
drug-free
future!
For More Information:

National Sheriffs' Association
www.sheriffs.org

National Association of Triads, Inc.
www.nationaltriad.org

National Family Partnership
www.nfp.org
www.lockyourmeds.org