“If you have unused or dated prescription drugs in your home, this is a great reminder to dispose of them properly, especially if you live with small children,” says Patti Stark with the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research. “Just because a cap on a bottle is child-resistant, doesn’t mean it’s 100 per cent childproof.”
Residents are further reminded that they can return any unwanted or outdated prescription medications to their local pharmacy for safe and secure disposal at any time.
“Certain prescription drugs, like opioids, stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers are also associated with serious harms such as poisoning, addiction, overdose, and death if they are used without proper medical supervision,” says Det. Guy Pilon with the EPS Drug and Gang Unit. “These drugs if not used appropriately can have a devastating impact on people’s lives and their families, and we urge individuals to dispose of these properly to keep them from falling into the wrong hands.”
Alberta is home to over 1,000 licensed community pharmacies. To find a pharmacy close to you, please go to http://pharmacists.ab.ca/nRegistrationLicensure/FindPharmacy.aspx.
For information about the ENVIRx program for the environmentally-friendly disposal of pharmaceuticals, please go to http://www.rxa.ca/ForthePublic/MedicationDisposal.aspx.