Drug drop-off keeps P.E.I. safe

Holding on to unused prescription medication puts children at risk, but flushing or tossing meds can harm the environment

Islanders are reminded to help keep family and the environment safe by returning unused prescription medications to pharmacies.

“Don’t flush them. Don’t pour them down the sink. Don’t throw them in the garbage,” said Environment Minister Brad Trivers. “Instead, take them to any P.E.I. pharmacy where they will be safely disposed of free of charge.”

Pharmacists are committed to supporting healthy communities and have been offering safe medication return services in P.E.I. for more than 15 years, said Erin MacKenzie, executive director of the P.E.I. Pharmacists Association.

“Keeping medications in the home that are no longer required increases the risk of medication errors and accidental poisonings,” said MacKenzie. “Those who take many medications can very easily mix up prescription vials, potentially taking a drug that had been discontinued or replaced by another therapy, resulting in a dangerous drug combination.

“Further, children continue to experience harm through accidental ingestion of improperly stored or discarded medications.”

According to Drug Free Kids Canada, up to 48 per cent of Canadian homes contain prescription and over-thecounter medications. One in seven Canadian teens has helped themselves to prescription drugs not prescribed to them.

While August is National Drug DropOff month, P.E.I. pharmacies accept unused prescription and over-the-counter medications every month of the year.