The opioid overdose crisis has had an impact on the United States. It is not just a ‘big city’ problem, nor is it only a rural problem…the problem has crossed socio-economic boundaries. The magnitude of suffering and loss of life is difficult to grasp, especially if you have not had any personal impact. A couple of statistics to help understand what our country has been experiences include: in 2020, one person died of an opioid overdose approximately every 8 minutes. In the same year, more Americans died from a drug overdose than from a motor vehicle accident.
Anyone taking a prescription opioid is at risk for an overdose, whether unintentional or not. If you have opioids in your home (like fentanyl, hydrocodone, morphine, or codeine), there are things you can do to keep loved ones safe.
The first thing you can do is safely dispose of any unused medications. Letting your unused or expired medications lay around the house can be dangerous. When you are done using medication, dispose of it safely using one of the following methods:
1. Drop the medication off at a Take-Back location like our local law enforcement agencies or participating pharmacies. You can find your local take back locations by visiting the
Avoid Opioid SD website.
2. Request a FREE DisposeRX packet. DisposeRx packets contain an FDA-approved ingredient that chemically and physically neutralizes the drugs when mixed with water. It can be used with pills, tablets, capsules, liquids, and powders and thrown away safely at home. You can request a free packet, by visiting the Avoid Opioid SD website mentioned above.
The next thing you can do is store medications safely at home and on-the-go to keep everyone safe. A medication lock box is a secure container that ensures medicine is only accessible to the prescription holder and will help reduce accidental overdose or misuse of medication.
Lock boxes can be used by anyone, including:
- Individuals
- Realtors (for safe storage during clients’ open houses)
- Senior living centers
- Pharmacies
- When traveling
Here are some basic storage guidelines with anyone who has medication in their home:
- Put medications and vitamins up and away, out of children’s reach and sight.
- Be prepared in case of an emergency. Call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 right away if you think your child might have gotten into a medicine or vitamin, even if you are not completely sure.
- Put all over-the-counter and prescription medications away after each use. This includes medicines and vitamins you use every day.
- Make sure the safety cap is locked.
- Teach your kids about medicine safety. About 50,000 children end up in emergency rooms each year because they got into medicines while an adult wasn’t looking. It’s also important to make your household expectations, rules, and consequences clear. You can find guidance for having the conversation at www.avoidopioidsd.com/take-action.
- Ask family members, houseguests, and other visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicine out of sight and reach of children when they are in your home.
Information for this article was take from
www.avoidopioidsd.com. For more information, contact the NE Prevention Resource Center at 605-884-3516 or visit
www.humanserviceagency.org.
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