5. Tips for Parents
Step 1: Monitor
- Note how many pills are in each Rx bottle or pill packet
- Keep track of refills (of all household members)
- If your teen has been prescribed a drug, be sure you control the meds and monitor dosages and refills
- Make sure friends & relatives—especially grandparents—are aware of the risks and encourage them to monitor their meds
- If your teen visits other households, talk to the families about importance of safeguarding their meds
Step 2: Secure
- Take Rx meds out of your medicine cabinet and keep them hidden
- Keep meds in a safe place (eg, locked cabinet)
- Tell relatives, especially grandparents, to lock meds or keep in a safe place
- Encourage parents of your teen’s friends to secure meds
Step 3: Dispose
- Take inventory of all Rx drugs in your home
- Discard expired or unused meds