CLARKSVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – According to the National Drug Institute, Tennessee had 1,269 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2017 for an average of 19.3 deaths per 100,000 people. That is higher than the national average of 14.6. Here are some tips to help Tennesseans reduce that number by using safe prescription drug practices and educating themselves on what it means to misuse prescription drugs.
What does it mean to misuse a prescription medication?
- Taking someone else’s prescription
- Sharing a prescription with someone else
- Taking more prescription medication than directed
- Taking prescription medication for a different reason than prescribed
How can a person practice safe medication practices?
- Use prescription medication only as directed by healthcare professionals
- Do not share prescription medication with anyone else, including family members. Do not take anyone else’s prescription medication
- Keep medication somewhere safe, locked up and where people might not think to look for it
- Count your medication every two weeks to make sure the amount left is consistent with what you have taken
- Dispose of any unwanted drugs safely
According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, unwanted drugs should not be flushed. Instead, prescription drugs should be removed from their packaging and mixed with a substance to make them less desirable, such as kitty litter or wet coffee grounds. The mixture can then be bagged and thrown in a trash container. Empty containers should be recycled after removing and destroying any labels displaying personal information.
Additionally, Clarksville has seven designated prescription drug take-back boxes where unwanted drugs can be dropped off for disposal by the city. Prescription drug take-back box locations can be found here.
For those that would like to learn more about prescription drug abuse and safe prescription practices, here are some helpful links: