Cleaning Out the Medicine Cabinet

About once a year I get that cleaning bug. I know, I know -- most get it in the spring, but my life doesn't slow down nearly enough in spring, so here it is August, and I'm doing my spring cleaning.

I tackled the medicine cabinet over the weekend and ended up with a handful of meds that had expired, both prescription and over-the-counter. Expiration dates actually confuse me. Does that mean those meds won't work anymore? Or does it mean they won't work as well? Or is adding a date to the package just a ploy to get me to buy more? I don't have those answers, and I expect they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

But a bigger question is this: what do I do about throwing away some of these meds, especially prescription meds that I know to be quite potent?

There are a few considerations:

• If you have kids or pets and you don't want them to get into the drugs, you need a way to dispose of them that will eliminate that possibility.
• "Green" considerations: if I just throw them away, or flush them, do they affect the environment? For example -- can they get into the supply of drinking water, or rivers or streams, and maybe affect wildlife?
• Are there laws that require I do one thing or another?

So I poked around the internet looking for information, and it turns out that the federal government, the states, the environmentalists and the manufacturers all have their own policies!

Here I am, trying to be smart and a good citizen and I'm still confused. I'll bet you are, too.

But I'll share with you what I found in hopes it's helpful:

• The US government has a list of guidelines on the Office of National Drug Control Policy website.
• The About.com Guide to Drugs has listed some guidelines.
• Additional About.com Guides provide information as well, including the Cancer guide and the arthritis guide.

Bottom line -- it seems like the decision about disposing of these meds varies depending on what the medicine is. Aspirin is one thing. That heavy duty cough medicine is another.

Just one hint: save your coffee grounds and kitty litter. I'm not kidding! You'll need them.
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