From your bathroom cabinets to the great outdoors - protecting our youth and environment from the misuse of
The misuse of legal prescriptions and painkillers, in particular narcotic opioids, has become an issue with our youth. One of the ways youth are obtaining these drugs is from the cabinets of their friends and family. While these drugs are fine if they are used by the person they were prescribed to, and in the recommended dose, the youth are taking them recreationally and in doses that could lead to an overdose and addiction.
In 2010, one in five (20.6%) of Canadians aged 15 years and older reported the use of opioid pain relievers in the past 12 months, with 1.1% using them to get high.
Deaths related to prescription opioid use doubled in just over 10 years in Ontario, from 13.7 deaths per million people in 1991 to 27.2 deaths per million people in 2004.
Prescription drug misuse can also lead to acts of criminality, such as drug-impaired driving, pharmacy robberies, and more traditional drug-trafficking activity.
There is also an environmental concern when pharmaceuticals are disposed of improperly and end up in landfills and waterways. This allows dangerous chemicals to infiltrate the environment and in the case of waterways, pollute our drinking water. Increasing amounts of these chemicals have already been found in our drinking water.
That's why the government has established a DRUG DROP OFF DAY - which occurred on May 10th, 2014 in communities across Canada. This day provided an opportunity for Canadians to drop off their unused and expired prescription drugs to local police and community partners at specific locations to ensure safe disposal. Canadians can also drop off unused or expired medication at any pharmacy at any time of the year.
Visit http://www.healthsteward.ca/ for more information regarding drop-off locations throughout Canada.
