There are standard government guidelines that apply when disposing of leftover medications. They include never flushing unused drugs down the toilet, removing and destroying the prescription label from the the original drug container before disposing of the container and crushing or dissolving leftover medicine in water and mixing it with a distasteful substance in a sealed plastic bag before putting it in the trash.

There is also a new government experiment that is in the works with sound advice for patients who use painkillers, sleeping pills and other controlled substances. Before disposing of the medication, mix it with kitty litter. Better for the environment than flushing, mixing with kitty litter makes dangerous medications much less of a temptation for children to pick up and put in their mouths.

Over 6,000 pharmacies have signed up for this pilot project with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that could not only save the lives of children but also prevent prescription drug abuse that is on the rise because more than half of people who misuse drugs get them for free from a friend or relative. And, having drugs that are no longer being used sitting in a medicine cabinet is a bad idea because anyone can steal them.
Improper disposal of medicines that are no longer being used is a growing problem, and there is no one "perfect" solution, but this is one way to get rid of the drugs, rather than run the risk of having them misused or fall into the hands of a child.

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