Keep Medications Locked Away this Holiday Season

The holiday season is upon us and it is a time of celebration with friends and family.  It is important to use forethought when thinking about all of the people who will be coming and going at your home for holiday parties and get-togethers.  When opening your home to loved ones, always remember to keep the holiday celebrations safe as it could be an entrée to the use of prescription pain medications.  We are in the midst of an opioid epidemic, which means we need to be safe and protect those who live in and/or are visiting your home.  

When having a house full of people, it can be hectic keeping track of where everyone is at all times. Guests may end up using the bathrooms in your house.  This could lead to tendency for guests to check out and have access to medicine cabinets, which could be the first step to opioid misuse or addiction.  
The best gift you can give to loved ones this holiday season is making sure to secure the medications that are easily accessible.

People who abuse opioid pain relievers usually obtain them for free from family members or friends. That includes stealing them from medicine cabinets which is why it is so important to throw out old medicines and keep medications which can be abused locked up. Opioids in general, which includes pain pills and heroin, are extremely addictive and people who abuse them are at high risk of overdose and death.

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014.  From 1999 to 2008, overdose death rates, sales and substance use disorder treatment admissions related to prescription pain relievers increased in parallel.  The overdose death rate in 2008 was nearly four times the 1999 rate; sales of prescription pain relievers in 2010 were four times those in 1999; and the substance use disorder treatment admission rate in 2009 was six times the 1999 rate.

Examples of a few places to keep prescription medications locked are: a home safe, a clothing drawer, a pocketbook in a closet, or in a room where the door can be locked. Keep your loved ones in mind this holiday season when hosting annual celebrations and always remember to have a happy, healthy and safe holiday and New Year.