Secure RX drugs before visitors arrive to prevent theft and misuse

FALLBROOK – It might be a family reunion, or maybe old friends or neighbors are coming to town. Or perhaps the grandchildren are heading to Grandma’s house for a few weeks.

Whatever the situation, news of impending summer visits can set off a flurry of activity on hosts’ parts, with housecleaning, grocery shopping and entertainment planning often high on their lists.

An important precaution – locking up prescription medications that may be sitting around on countertops, on bedside tables or in medicine cabinets – is easy to overlook, however.

The idea that such a step is necessary just because visitors are coming can be jarring to people who have never experienced a theft of their prescription drugs. The possibility that trusted guests – especially loved ones – might betray a host’s trust that way can also be hard to acknowledge. The idea is not far-fetched as it might seem, though.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic, and the White House has made the problem a top public health priority.

Prescription drug abuse is especially prevalent among teenagers, who often think prescription drugs are much safer than illegal drugs because the former are obtained through doctors.

A 2013 Partnership for Drug-Free Kids study found almost one in four American teens say they have misused or abused a prescription drug. The same study found the majority of teens who misused or abused a prescription drug got it from a relative’s or friend’s medicine cabinet.

Opioid painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin, depressants such Xanax or Valium, and stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder such as Adderall and Ritalin are the primary targets. Teens typically steal just a few pills at a time to avoid detection.

They use the drugs to get high, to change their mood or because they think it will help them perform better in school. The practice can have deadly consequences. In San Diego County, prescription drug deaths outpace deaths due to vehicle crashes.

Hosts can significantly reduce the chances of their prescription medications getting stolen by placing them in locked cabinets or home safes before guests arrive. Prescription drugs that have expired or are no longer needed should be removed from the home and disposed of safely.

Special drop boxes at all San Diego County Sheriff’s Stations make safe disposal easy. The Fallbrook Substation is located at 388 E. Alvarado St.