Prescription drugs should be properly stored and safely disposed of. How can following storage and disposal guidances help prevent prescription drug misuse?
it helps keep pills from expiring quickly
it helps people avoid side effects or legal consequences
it helps people safety keep them for when they need them
it helps keep people without prescription from taking them
Properly storing and safely disposing of prescription drugs can help prevent misuse in several ways:
1. It helps keep pills from expiring quickly: By storing prescription drugs properly, such as in a cool, dry place away from light and moisture, the drugs can maintain their effectiveness for longer periods of time. This reduces the likelihood of individuals taking expired medication, which may not work as intended and could potentially be harmful.
2. It helps people avoid side effects or legal consequences: Using prescription drugs inappropriately, such as taking expired medication or taking someone else's prescription, can lead to serious side effects or legal consequences. Proper storage and disposal guidelines can help prevent people from accessing medications that are not prescribed to them.
3. It helps people safely keep them for when they need them: By storing prescription drugs in a secure location, individuals can ensure that they have them available when needed for their prescribed purposes. This can help prevent misuse by ensuring that medications are only used for their intended purposes.
4. It helps keep people without prescriptions from taking them: Properly disposing of unused or expired prescription drugs can help prevent individuals without a prescription from accessing them. Disposing of medications safely, such as through a drug take-back program or using a medication disposal pouch, can help reduce the risk of misuse by making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to obtain the drugs.
Overall, following storage and disposal guidelines for prescription drugs can help prevent misuse by ensuring that medications are used safely and appropriately by those for whom they are prescribed.