ERROR 1
ERROR 1
ERROR 2
ERROR 2
ERROR 2
ERROR 2
ERROR 2
Password and Confirm password must match.
If you have an ACS member number, please enter it here so we can link this account to your membership. (optional)
ERROR 2
ACS values your privacy. By submitting your information, you are gaining access to C&EN and subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We use the information you provide to make your reading experience better, and we will never sell your data to third party members.
Americans are now being advised by federal officials to mix their leftover unused medicines with used kitty litter, coffee grounds, or sawdust and put the mixture in a plastic bag in the trash. The goal of this is to prevent the drugs from falling into the hands of those who might abuse the agents. Previously, patients had been told to flush old drugs down the toilet. Under a pilot program conducted by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is part of the Department of Health & Human Services, 6,300 pharmacies will hand out a flyer with each prescription for a highly abused drug urging patients to take the cat-litter step with leftover medicines. "Prescription drug abuse is a serious public health problem, and we must take decisive action against it," says SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline. SAMHSA will measure the effectiveness of this 26-week pilot program by monitoring Web-based feedback from the public and use that information to determine whether to terminate, continue, or expand this effort.
Join the conversation
Contact the reporter
Submit a Letter to the Editor for publication
Engage with us on Twitter