Secure

The majority of teens who report abuse of prescription medicine are getting them from friends, family and acquaintances. Make sure the teens in your life don't have access to your medicine.

• Take prescription medicine out of the medicine cabinet and secure them in a place only you know about.
• If possible, keep all medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter, in a safe place, such as a locked cabinet, that others cannot access.

Monitor

In addition to securing your medications, be aware of the quantities that are currently in your home.

• Track the number of pills are in each prescription bottle or pill packet.
• Monitor how often you are getting refills. If you find you need to refill your medicine more often than expected, that could indicate a problem.
• If your teen has been prescribed a medicine, be sure you control the medicine and monitor dosages and refills.

Make sure your friends and relatives, especially grandparents, are also aware of the risks. Encourage them to regularly monitor and secure their own medicines. If there are other households your child has access to, talk to those families as well about the importance of monitoring and safeguarding their medications.

Additional Resources

• Partnership to End Addiction: Safeguard Against Medicine Misuse
• CDC: Medication Safety and Your Health