What are the poisoning and abuse concerns associated with household medicine waste?

Poisoning and abuse remain the most acute human health concerns related to left-over and unwanted medicines in people’s homes.

Poisoning

Disposal of unwanted medicines in household trash receptacles, or improper storage, may contribute to the risk of accidental poisonings. This is particularly a concern for households with vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.

According to a study by the Washington Department of Health, unintentional poisoning death rates in Washington State increased 345% between 1990 and 2004, from 2.3 to 10.2 per 100,000 people.

Nationwide, medications are the most common poison exposure category.  The Centers for Disease Control reports that drugs caused 94.3% of the unintentional and undetermined poisoning deaths (2003).

In 2006 the federal government reported that children were the most common victims of nonfatal poisonings involving “accidentally” taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Among such incidents in 2004, pain and cardiovascular medications, antidepressants, and sedative/hypnotics were most commonly ingested. Acetaminophen-containing drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioids were the leading types of pain medications. This data was collected from records of emergency departments by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Abuse

Rising drug abuse is a serious concern which may be related to improper storage or disposal of unwanted medications in people’s homes. In their 2005 study, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found that the number of Americans who abused controlled prescription drugs had nearly doubled from 7.8 million in 1992 to 15.1 million in 2003.  Additionally, CASA found that prescription drug abuse among teens had more than tripled during that time. The Office of National Drug Control Policy found that in 2006 abuse of prescription pain killers ranked second—only behind marijuana—as the Nation's most prevalent illegal drug problem.  Much of this abuse appears to be fueled by the relative ease of access to prescription drugs.

Assistant Surgeon General Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H., the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Acting Deputy Administrator, stated in a 2006 press release that:

 “…70 to 80 percent of those 12 years or older said they got their drugs from a friend or relative… Parents and other caregivers should store their prescription drugs carefully and dispose of any unused drugs before they can fall into the wrong hands.”