Safe Use Advice

Practice Safe Medication Use

Take medicines ONLY as prescribed.

• Keep a current list of your medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and dietary/herbal supplements. Bring your up-to-date medicine list to all of your medical and pharmacy visits.
• Keep opioids and all other medicines in a safe place, out of the reach of children. Keep your medicines in a secure, preferably locked place.
• Never give away or share your medicines with others.
• Never mix pain medicines with alcohol, sleeping pills, or any illicit substance.
• Review your medicines every six months and properly dispose of all expired, unused or unwanted medicines as soon as possible.
• Find the disposal location in your area.
• Prevent an Overdose
• Carry Naloxone

Tips for safe medication use

• Take your medications as prescribed and only if needed, and never more than directed by your medical provider.
• Don’t share your prescription pain medicine or other medications with anyone.
• Don’t take anyone else’s prescription medication.
• Keep track of your medication and count the number of pills in the bottle.
• Ask your pharmacist if you have questions about the ingredients, warnings, directions, interaction with other medication or anything else having to do with your prescription.
• Never crush pills unless you have been instructed to do so by your doctor or pharmacist.
• Lock your prescription painkiller and other medications up securely.
• Safely dispose of expired, unused or unwanted prescription medications.
• If you take too large of a dose or accidentally take the wrong medication, call the poison control center immediately at 800-222-1222.

Storage and disposal tips

• Keep prescription painkillers in their original labeled containers out of sight and out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet or on a high shelf.
• Keep track of how many pills are left.
• Having prescription painkillers in your home increases the risk that another person in your household might find them and misuse them, or take them accidentally.
• Get rid of painkillers that you are no longer using safely. NEVER dispose by flushing down the toilet because it can harm the drinking water supply.

Where can I dispose of my medications?