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What drug habit do we all need to break?

10.27.2008

Submitted by tmeronek on Mon, 10/27/2008 - 12:24am.
The Bite:
The habit of chucking unused medication. When we flush meds down drains or send them to landfills, they can make their way into rivers and even drinking water. Safer disposal is just what the doc ordered.
The Benefits: 
  • Not turning fish into addicts. The U.S. Geological Survey found that more than 80% of sampled rivers tested positive for meds like antibiotics, birth control hormones, and antidepressants.
  • Less drugged-out drinking water. Trace amounts of pharmaceuticals end up in our taps (and bottled water, since 40% of bottled is just repackaged tap water) because most treatment plants aren't designed to filter them out.
  • Helping people who can't afford meds. More than 20 states have programs that'll take unused drugs and redistribute them.
Personally Speaking: 
We take unused meds to our local pharmacies whenever we have to pick up a prescription (sadly, it doesn't mean we get a discount).
Wanna Try: 
  • Starfish Project - takes donations of certain meds by mail and distributes them to people in need.
  • Earth 911 - enter your zip and the word medication to find nearby drop sites for unused pills.
  • SMARxT Disposal - disposal options for those who don't have a nearby drop-spot.
  • Green Pharmacy Program - join its campaign to push for proper disposal facilities in your area.
  • Drug Repository Programs - check with your local Department of Health or Board of Pharmacy.
  • Pharmacies - some pharmacies (such as many Rite Aids) offer safe drug disposal programs; check with yours.

Cocktail Fact

The antidepressant drug clomipramine has been known to cause patients to experience orgasms while yawning.

Bang For The Bite

A no-brainer, 5-apple tip, since drop-spots usually aren't hard to find and none of us wants to worry about drugs in our drinking water.

10 comments
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Online Pharmacy  on February 23, 2009 at 06:07 AM 1
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barbara z  on March 12, 2009 at 10:14 AM 2
if meds are expired, do they still take them? did not know garbage disposals not better in most cases. always wondered about toilet.. not all towns and cities do as much paper as others. im trying to do more. should be known that all cartons and paper not just newpapers can be be recycled. best to wash out first? i saved magazines till found out they take but again maybe not all towns. keep us posted. it should be made easier to do and know till it becomes part of everday routine to the next generation.finally they do not have to tell us not to smoke in movie theaters anymore. took a few years and i still laugh remembering . and why do apts and condos and elderly apts. not recycling? or do they do it after the fact??
Marsha Guess  on March 31, 2009 at 02:44 PM 3
I wish there was a way to gather all the meds that were prescribed that don't work for whatever reason and made them available to people who can't afford their medications (outdated or not). This would eliminate the problem of what to do with all these meds. We would no longer wonder how to dispose of them. But, if I find a medication that is a year old, I do try to figure out the best way to "pitch" them.
markweee  on August 21, 2009 at 02:46 AM 4
Water and wildlife friendly! If anyone's interested, this is their website- fire degree AND Civil Engineering Diploma
markweee  on August 21, 2009 at 02:46 AM 5
I talked to someone in management at Classic Car Wash in the San Jose, CA area the other day and confirmed that all locations completely recycle the water used to wash cars. What's also nice is they take care not to disturb the ducks that are near a few of their locations. Administration degree AND college degree AND PhD english
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