Get Ready for Cold and Flu Season and Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet

Cold and flu season are upon us and many will head to the pharmacy for new medications. Many people may not know what to do with expired medications. When old medications are left to collect dust inside the medicine cabinet, they can become potential sources of poisoning to young children or may be accessed by teens experimenting with drugs.

The Texas Panhandle Poison Center of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center’s (TTUHSC) School of Pharmacy will host a Lubbock Medication Cleanout™ from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Texas Tech Physicians Medical Pavilion, 3601 Fourth St.

Jeanie Jaramillo, Pharm.D., director of the Texas Panhandle Poison Center, encourages Lubbock area residents to clean out their medicine cabinets and bring in any unused, expired or unnecessary medications for proper disposal.

“Flushing or throwing old medications into the trash may contaminate the environment, pollute our drinking and ground water and harm aquatic creatures,” Jaramillo said. “Also, nationwide trends indicate that pharmaceutical abuse is second only to marijuana abuse. This is a proactive approach to safeguard our communities by providing a free and convenient way for people to dispose of these medications in a free, legal, environmentally sound and convenient manner.”

The event will be conducted using a drive-thru drop-off format and signs will be posted. Medications must be in their original containers. To date, 5,800 pounds of unneeded medicine has been collected at Medication Cleanout™ events.  These medicines are no longer a threat for poisoning, abuse, misuse or environmental contamination.

The Medication Cleanout™ is sponsored by Voices and the Managed Care Center as well as support from the TTUHSC schools of medicine and pharmacy and the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department. For more information about the Medication Cleanout™, call (806) 351-5626 or visit www.MedicationCleanout.com.

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