Do you have old prescription medications lying around? While you are spring cleaning this year let Moose Pharmacy help you safely dispose of your medications!

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We want to help you rid your home of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications. Unused portions of medications can lead to harm.

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The majority of people who use medication for an unintended purpose obtained the medication from a family member or friend according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 

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Dispose of your medications properly and avoid the risk of your medications falling into the wrong hands. Below are options for safely disposing of your medications.

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Medication Drop Boxes:

Medication drop boxes are the safest and most secure way of disposing of your medications.
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Several Moose Pharmacy locations have medication drop boxes to help you securely dispose of your old prescriptions without worry.

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Flushing Medications:

While there are a few medications that may be flushed, it is not the most environmentally friendly method of medication disposal.
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A list of flush-safe medications can be found at FDA.gov.

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Disposing of Medications at Home:

If you are unable to stop by your local Moose Pharmacy to use our medication drop boxes, the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy recommends following 4 steps to medication disposal:

1. Scratch out all personal information on pill bottles or medication packaging.
2. Mix medication with unpalatable substances such as kitty litter, dirt, used coffee grounds, or other undesirable substances.
3. Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag.
4. Throw away the undesirable mixture in the household trash.

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Bullet Points

• Check your local Moose Pharmacy for a medication drop-box for safe and secure disposal of medications
• Always check if a medication can be flushed before using this method of disposal using the FDA safe flush list.
• If you do not have access to a medication drop-box for disposal follow the 4 step method to disposing of medications at home.

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References

• National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to remove unneeded prescriptions, prevent addiction [Internet]. [cited 2023 Oct 13]. Available from: https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2023/04/20/national-prescription-drug-take-back-day-remove-unneeded-prescriptions
• Safe disposal of medications - NCBOP [Internet]. [cited 2023 Oct 14]. Available from: http://www.ncbop.org/faqs/SafeDisposalofMedicationsFeb2018.pdf
• Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Disposal of unused medicines: What you should know [Internet]. FDA; [cited 2023 Oct 13]. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know

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