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SAMHSA News Room
Contact Media Services: (240) 276-2130

SAMHSA News Bulletin

Date: 3/13/2008
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

SAMHSA Provides Information on Properly Disposing Prescription Drugs to Lower the Risk of Abuse or Environmental Harm (Including to the Water Supply)

In light of recent press reports about the possibility that prescription drug residues are being found in some water supply systems, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is reminding everyone that it has useful information readily available to consumers about how they can reduce this risk.

 

The agency has been providing this safety information through a pilot point-of -purchase program it initiated in October 2007 as well as a website http://www.samhsa.gov/rxsafety/ which includes advice on how to safely and effectively dispose of unused prescription drugs.

 

More than 5 million Americans have received this information to date.

 

This material was developed by leading public health and environmental safety experts and offers the following basic recommendations:

  • Consumers should always check patient information accompanying the product to see if it contains specific directions for disposing of unused medication, and follow those directions.
  •   If no specific information is provided then unused medication should be properly disposed of by mixing it with undesirable substances (e.g., old coffee grounds, used kitty litter), sealing the mixture in a container and placing it in the trash.
  • Whenever possible, unused medication may also be donated to authorized community prescription drug take-back programs.  

For additional information please contact SAMHSA at http://www.samhsa.gov/.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.


Page Last Updated: 3/14/2008