Is Your Medicine Cabinet a Danger Zone?

It's strange to think that the place where you keep your ibuprofen, bandaids, and other items you use to keep you and your family healthy could also be home to dangerous chemicals and addictive drugs, yet in many American homes this is the case.

Have you checked your medicine cabinet lately? Does it contain old prescription bottles? Maybe antibiotics you recieved for a minor infection. Or some old medication your husband or boyfriend was prescribed for a bad back. Alongside the usual tylenol, cough syrup, and hydrogen peroxide, these things might seem innocuous, but in fact, many of them can be dangerous to your and your family's health.

If you have read the newspaper, or turned on CNN lately, you will have seen reports of children, teens, even adults dying from prescription drug use, both illicit and legitimate. Here are a few things that you can do in your home to safeguard you and your family from this kind of tragic event:

Do you know the active ingredient in Tylenol? Chances are you don't. You are one of the millions who don't realize that their go-to bottle for minor aches and pains actually contains a substance that if not closely monitored can be dangerous, even deadly. Acetaminophen, the active chemical in Tylenol as well as most cough syrups and other over the counter pain relievers, is toxic to the liver in amounts exceeding about 4-6 grams per day. While that number is an average, the maximum recommended daily dose is 4 grams, or about eight Extra Strength Tylenol per day. However, what most household users don't know is that many other products in your medicine cabinet can contain acetaminophen! Nyquil and Dayquil, for instance, contain about as much acetaminophen per spoonful as a regular strength Tylenol tablet. If you take the maximum dose of Tylenol plus a tablespoon of Nyquil, you have already gone over the recommended daily limit, and might be putting yourself at risk for liver damage. Know the Basics means you need to be aware of what your medications contain, and monitor your family's intake of any substance that might be dangerous to them. In addition, know what prescription drugs you have in the house. Many prescription drugs are addictive and can be abused, especially painkillers like Codeine (Tylenol 3), Hydrocodone (Vicodin), or Oxycodone (Percocet). Other addictive substances include ADD/ADHD drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, and anti-anxiety and sleep medications like Valium, Xanax, or Ambien. Be aware of what you might have in your house, and what its abuse potential is. Knowing the Basics is the first and most important step toward keeping you and your family safe.

Many parents and spouses say to themselves, "My family members would never abuse prescription drugs!" But that is a naïve attitude. While your child, husband, wife, cousin, or friend probably isn't a drug addict, many people can get sucked in to using prescription drugs recreationally without even knowing they are doing it. For example, if your child were to have his wisdom teeth removed, the oral surgeon would likely prescribe him about a weeks worth of Vicodin (a painkiller containing the active opiate Hydrocodone plus acetaminophen). If he were then to take a few for the pain the first couple days, he might notice that besides relieving the pain, these pills give him a slightly euphoric feeling. At that point, he will most likely want to use the rest of the prescription regardless of whether he feels sufficient pain to warrant that use. And, if later on you or your spouse were to have an injury and receive a similar prescription, it is likely that he would want to grab a few of those pills for himself to get that feeling again.

If you find yourself saying "no one I know would ever do something like this", you might be right. But taking a chance like that could lead to disastrous consequences. Sure, an occasional use of these drugs might not harm anybody. Especially when used responsibly for medical purposes. In fact, some people with chronic pain take medications like Vicodin daily, and don't have any problem. But an uneducated user can easily take more than he should: an overdose of this type of drug can cause the heart to slow and the lungs to stop, causing hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the blood) and even death.

More than anything, it is important for you to be aware of the dangers, and be aware of the medication that you and your family is prescribed, so that you can monitor its use and be sure that it is taken responsibly. Another important tip is this: most people living in a shared space (dorm room, two person apartment, family home, etc.) hide their prescription drugs, both for privacy, and so that they are safe from the neighbor who comes over to water the flowers when you are away on vacation. But these drugs need to be hidden effectively. Chances are that your prescriptions are either in your medicine cabinet, or in your sock/underwear drawer. Another popular stashing point is the nightstand, or a kitchen cabinet. But these places are so common that anyone looking for these medications is sure to find them. So choose a new hiding place. In a filing cabinet in a file marked "Real Estate", in the laundry room behind the cleaning supplies, or how about in a shoe-box in your closet with the pair of shoes sitting right on top. Be creative. Think "where would I never look to find these?" then put them there. But most importantly of all, realize the potential for abuse and don't underestimate the strength of that potential.

Don't be too hesitant to talk to your family (or significant other, or anyone who shares your living space) about the hazards of over the counter and prescription drugs. Once you know the basics, help inform them too. The more everyone is informed, the more likely you all are to make smart decisions, and to use medication responsibly. Sit down, have an honest, open conversation. Take an active, responsible role in the health of your household.

Modern medicine saves lives, and significantly improves the quality of life for millions of people on this planet. Don't let the dangers of medication scare you into doing without the prescriptions and over the counter drugs that you need to stay healthy and live a long, fulfilling life. While in isolated instances of irresponsible use, prescription and non-prescription drugs can present a danger to you and your family, a majority of the time these medications will improve your health, not detract from it.