Where can you safely dispose of medications?
You can dispose of medications at the following:
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Ware Police Station
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Warren Police Station
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West Brookfield Police Station
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CVS in Ware has a medication drop box but DOES NOT have Dispose RX
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Walgreens does NOT have a medication drop box but they DO have Dispose RX if asked for directly
You can play a role in protecting your community without even leaving your home. Safely store all medicines. Keep them up and out of reach from children AND pets, or safely locked up.
Why?
- Youth report that home is where they find and try out substances.
- People with a substance use disorder may pass through your home.
- Every day parents call poison control because children have accidentally taken medication not intended for them.
- Pets often end up at the vet due to accidental ingestion of human medications and cannabis.
Safe Storage Depends on your Home
- Up and out of sight and reach from children
- In a locking medicine box
- In a locking, scent-free pouch (*cannabis)
- Pour out alcoholic drinks when you are finished
- Dispose of unused or expired medicine at the police station or local pharmacy (CVS in Ware)
- Ask for Dispose RX at Walgreens or your local health department to safely dispose of medications at home. (Just grab the medication, dispose RX tablet, water, shake up to mix them and then throw in trash)
*Massachusetts allows purchase and use of recreational cannabis by people over age 21.
The Pet Poison Helpline, which operates in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, says they've seen a 448% increase in marijuana cases over the past six years.
Tips to Protect Children from Accidental Ingestion:
Walk through the house with a child’s/pet’s field of vision in mind, and store medications out of their sight and reach.
Store medications in a locked box or cabinet where they will be out of plain view of children and guests.
Twist and click - Listen for the "click" sound that a child safety cap makes when it's locked in place. (Child safety caps, alone, are not enough to store medication safely).
Explain to your children why only an adult should handle medication. According to the CDC, you should never tell a child that medicine is candy when they don't want to take it.
Share responsibility - Talk with grandparents and guests to keep purses, bags, or coats that may have medications in them out of children's reach, or leave them at home if they are not necessary for the time they will be visiting.
Source: (Enderle, L. (2011, December 27). Up and away: 5 tips for storing medication safely. Pharmacy Times. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/5-tips-for-storing-medicine-safely)
Tips for Cannabis
In 2022, 66 children under age 11 per WEEK were visiting the ER due to cannabis-related reasons.
(CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7228a1.htm?s_cid=mm7228a1_w)
Store cannabis in a scent-free, locking pouch for discrete adult use.
Keep cannabis out of sight and out of reach! Especially if it looks like candy, do NOT leave it somewhere children can find.
Please protect your pets. Animals are going to the vet more due to accidental ingestion of THC products.