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With some questionable health advice being posted by your friends on Facebook, politicians arguing about the state of the American healthcare system and a new medical study being summarized in just a sentence or two on TV---that seems to contradict the study you heard summarized yesterday---it can be overwhelming to navigate the ever-changing landscape of health news.

Medication Disposal Tips

Last month, we were able to interview Dr. Amy Tiemeier, associate professor of pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy about the opioid epidemic in Missouri. One of our topics was the safe disposal of medication.

"Now if somebody doesn't have access to a med disposal method and they need to get rid of something they are very concerned about and need to get rid of it right away, we can recommend that they dissolve whatever it is in water and then take that liquid and mix it with coffee grounds or kitty litter, put it in a sealed package and then put it in the trash. So that really minimizes, [it's] very hard to take that and then actually abuse that substance. And it's really, that coffee grounds or kitty litter is a deterrent for any animal that might want to get into it. And then, you know, some of it might get into the water table in the landfill but not very much. So, if that's needed that is certainly the appropriate way to take care of it at home.
The best way would be any of the "take back" sites that are available. So I know that in St. Louis we have a lot of them. I believe the Cape Girardeau Police Department will take them as well. And there's also the National DEA "take back" days. So, those happen usually every September or October and then April. The next one coming up is April 28.

Resources:
https://www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/departments/police/citizen_services/community_programs/drug_drop_box
http://health.mo.gov/seniors/pdf/prescription-medication-take-back-programs-missouri.pdf
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm

Dr. Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs is an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, Middle & Secondary Education. She writes for special publications of The Southeast Missourian and is a certified Community Health Worker.
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