Tips and TRENDS For parents

Safely Stored — Protection from Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications at Home

During the holiday season, it is likely that the number of people in and out of our home increases. This increases the chances of someone accessing a bottle of strong prescription drugs that is not prescribed to them. Prescription drug misuse, or using a prescription drug in a manner other than it was intended, is the most common form of illicit drug use in the U.S. According to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in the last year: 11.5 million adults misused a prescription pain reliever, 7.1 million adults misused a prescription tranquilizer or sedative, 4.8 million adults misused a prescription stimulant.

The purpose behind why someone might misuse prescription drugs varies from “getting high” to mitigating anxiety, relieving pain, or sleeping better. The majority of youth experiment with prescription drugs by obtaining these drugs from family members at home.

Leaving unsecured potent prescription drugs in easy access and common locations, like bathroom or kitchen cabinets, make it easy for pills to be taken in secret. Especially during family gatherings, it becomes increasingly more important to securely lock away and store medications away from people who might otherwise misuse them.

The Kids Are Out of School

During breaks from structure schooling, summer, winter, and spring breaks, it is highly important to have medications, both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, in a secured space as the chance for a child to experiment with drugs during this time increases. With less of a schedule, youth may spend more of their time inside and want to seek out other sources of entertainment.

Over 3 million people over the age of 12 have reported using cough and cold medications (OTC medications) to get high. Most cases of dextromethorphan abuse called in to poison control centers involved 15- and 16-year olds. Dextromethorphan is the main ingredient in over 120 OTC cold-and-cough medications that can lead to psychedelic effects similar to ketamine and PCP when abused.

Taking Action

It’s easier to think “not my kids, not my family, not my home” when it comes to medication abuse, but the reality is that medication misuse happens frequently — especially around the stresses of the holidays. To eliminate any chance of abuse, securely locking away prescription and over-the-counter medications becomes a crucial step in ensuring the safety of everyone at home. A child’s reasoning for partaking in drug misuse, whether it be from peer pressure, boredom, relieving anxiety, or other motives becomes less of an issue when the option is completely off the table. Safely store away any drugs at home!