You can help prevent prescription drug abuse by doing the following:

Use medications only as prescribed by your doctor.

Never share your medications with anyone. It is dangerous and illegal.

When you are no longer using your medications, properly discard them at a permanent drop box location or DEA take back event near you.

There are also a few options for safe disposal in your own home, you can learn more here.

Take the time to keep your prescription medication safe, secure and out of sight. For more information visit DrugFreeTexas.org.

How to Dispose

Drop Box Locations

Permanent drop boxes are installed securely at DEA approved locations. These drop boxes are a safe way for you to dispose of your unwanted or expired prescription drugs. It’s easy: Bring them, drop them in, no questions asked. Click the button below for more information and to view permanent drop box locations.

Disposal Pouches

We understand that sometimes, there are difficulties getting to a permanent drop box site. Click the button below to learn more about safe disposal options available to East Texas residents you can use in your own home.

Drop Box Locations

Disposal Pouches

Monitor and Secure

Quite frequently youngsters merely open the medicine cabinet and there before them is a variety of drugs available for the taking: pain pills for post gum surgery; sleeping pills from an overseas airplane trip; cough medicine from last season’s flu. The time to act is now. You are the key to your child’s drug-free future.

LockYourMeds.org Recommends the Following Preventative Steps:

Remove drugs from your medicine cabinet and hide them, lock them up or take them out of your house.

Safeguard all medicines that have to remain at home by monitoring quantities and controlling access.

Take inventory by writing down the names and amounts of medications you currently have and regularly check to see if anything is missing.

If your child is on prescribed medication, monitor the dosages and refills. Set clear rules, such as, not sharing and always following proper dosages.

Warn your youngsters that taking prescription or OTC drugs without a doctor’s supervision can be just as dangerous and potentially lethal as taking street drugs.

Supervise your child’s Internet use: many pharmacy sites are not regulated and will sell your child medications without prescriptions.

Properly dispose of old, expired or unused medicines in the trash. Hide or mix them with cat litter or coffee grounds before throwing them away in an empty can or bag. DO NOT flush medications down the drain or toilet, unless the label indicates it is safe to do so.

If you feel uncomfortable placing your medications in the trash, you can drop them off at the nearest Prescription Drug Drop Box or order a free Stericycle Seal&Send Envelope to mail in your drugs for disposal.

These products can help you monitor and secure your medications (click to learn more):

TimerCap

Locking Medicine Pouches

Vaultz – Medicine Cases & Travel Storage

LOCKMED – Products to Store Medications

Why It Matters

Benefits of Proper Disposal

Reduce access to addictive medications for accidental or intentional misuse and overdose by youth and others in the home.

Decrease water contamination due to pharmaceutical medications being flushed down the drains in our homes, or contained in our landfills.

Reduce illegal narcotic sales in East Texas.

Reduce law enforcement efforts required to respond to burglaries and thefts involving prescription drugs

Facts About the Opioid Epidemic

According to the CDC, opioids (including prescription opioids and heroin) killed more than 33,000 people in 2015, more than any year on record.

Nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.

According to the 2016 Region 4 Community Needs Assessment, Region 4 (23 counties across East Texas, includes Smith County) has the highest reported past 30-day use and third-highest lifetime use of non-medical prescription drugs in the state.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, people who abuse or are dependent on prescription opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to become addicted to heroin.