In a national survey, 66% of teens abusing prescription drugs (including opiates) without a prescription received them from a friend or family member. Proper medication storage and disposal can take these dangerous, addictive drugs out of their hands. Lock boxes can be found at pharmacies throughout Lee County. The Lee County Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida also recommends that you keep an inventory of your prescriptions. Another benefit to locking your prescriptions is your ability to take them with you in a hurry in case of a natural disaster, like Hurricane Irma. Safe disposal of your medication is essential for the safety of others and our environment. Flushing only pollutes our valuable waterways, as does putting them in kitty litter or a similar substance and tossing them in the trash. Lee County has a number of anonymous disposal sites for drop off of your expired and unused medication. If you cannot get to one of the sites, consider using a Deterra Bag. Coalition volunteers are happy to participate in your health fair or community event to talk about safe medication storage and disposal. Click here for a full list of disposal sites in Lee County or contact us to arrange a pickup.