August is National Drug Drop-Off Month in Canada, an initiative led by Drug Free Kids Canada to highlight the dangers of youth accessing prescription medications, and the importance of returning unused and expired medicines for environmentally safe disposal.

A staggering 375,000 Canadian teens have abused prescription drugs with 55% of them getting them from a home.  Anyone taking medication is at risk if the medication has expired or they accidentally take the wrong medication because there are too many to choose from on the shelf.

To date, almost 3000 tons of unused and expired medicine has been collected by Canadian pharmacies. Pharmacies are able to dispose of medicines in an environmentally safe way – far safer than if we flush them down the toilet, down the drain, or throw them in the garbage where they will end up in our oceans and landfills.

Items accepted at Super Thrifty pharmacies:

• all prescription drugs
• over-the-counter medication
• natural health products
• inhalers
• creams and liquids

Please remove pills from blister packs or pill bottle containers and place in a clear, plastic bag before bringing it to your pharmacy. Creams and liquids can be kept in their original packaging.

To learn more about the importance of effective and safe collection and disposal of unused and expired medication visit http://healthsteward.ca/

Returns are just part of the equation. Learn more about storing your medication safely and how to talk to your kids about the dangers of prescription drug misuse https://www.drugfreekidscanada.org/prevention/drug-info/prescription-drugs/.