Medication Safety
Everyone has some sort of medication in their house- over the counter medication, vitamins, or prescription medications; and as we know- most medications are taken to help keep us well. However, any medication can cause harm if taken in the wrong way or by the wrong person. ALL medications need to be taken care of properly in order to prevent medication misuse or abuse. About 50,000 children end up in emergency rooms each year because they ingested a medication that was not intended for them. Learning about, practicing medication safety, and teaching children about medication is essential.
There are several ways that you can practice medication safety:
1. If you have prescription drugs or medications you keep at home, make sure they are put away. Pick a storage place in your home that is not easily accessible to children or guests. Consider taking a walk around your house to figure out what is the safest place to keep your medicines and vitamins.
2. Lock medications up in a secure box and store them out of sight and out of reach. Need a lockbox for your medications? Contact the Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition at 989-463-1422 to get a FREE medication lockbox. ALL medications are safest when they are LOCKED UP!
3. If you are done taking a medication, don't leave it in the cupboard. Clean out your medicine cabinet regularly to keep all medications and prescriptions safe.
4. Teach children about medicine safety and explain why a trusted adult must be the one to give it to them. Even if a child does not like a medicine they need to take, DO NOT tell children medicine is candy in order to get them to take it.
5. Be prepared in case of an emergency by programming the Poison Control Center number 1.800.222.1222 into your phone. If you suspect your child ingested medication call your poison control center immediately.
6. Take unused, outdated medications to one of the prescription drop box locations listed below. If you cannot make it to one of these locations, contact GCSAC at 989-463-1422 to have a FREE medication disposal pouch sent to you.
Alma Police Department
Monday – Friday
8am-4pm
Accepted Medications: Pills, capsules, patches, and liquids.
Breckenridge police department
Monday – Friday
8am-4:30pm
Accepted Medications: Pills and capsules.
Ithaca Sheriff’s department
7 days a week 24 hours a day
Accepted Medications: Pills and capsules.
St. Louis Police Department
Monday – Friday 8am-4pm
Accepted Medications: Pills, capsules, patches, and liquids.
If you would like additional information about medication safety, visit the Gratiot County Substance Abuse & Suicide Prevention Coalition’s website www.gratiotdrugfree.org or contact us at 989-463-1422.
Sara Krebs
GCSAC Prevention Coordinator
