Dispose of Those Leftover Meds Properly...

Over the weekend I read in the USA Today that instead of flushing leftover medicine down the drain, the government is recommending you mix it with kitty litter, coffee grounds, sawdust or even doggie doo, then seal in a plastic bag and toss in the trash. That's better for the environment and renders the medicines too unpleasant to try if children, pets, or drug abusers stumble through the trash. A pilot program by the government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will try to send that advice to thousands of patients who use painkillers, sleeping pills, and other controlled substances. When patients fill prescriptions for a list of abuse-prone drugs, participating pharmacists will hand over a flier urging them to take the kitty-litter step if they don't use all their pills. When I first read this article I laughed, thinking ("too much government, don't they have anything better to do?") but upon reflection anything that will help keep safe people and animals can't be all that bad, considering the scope of the problem.