Take a look inside your cupboard or medicine cabinet and you’re likely to find pills from prior visits to the doctor. Some of those could be opioid painkillers, which can be dangerous if used improperly.
As overdose deaths rise across the country, people are taking a second look at how doctors prescribe opioids and how much thought is given to the pills that are leftover once patients no longer need them. Patrick Skahill from Here & Now contributor WNPR in Hartford reports.
- Wondering how to safely discard your unneeded medication? Check out tips compiled by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists here.
- See more of Patrick Skahill’s coverage on dealing with leftover drugs here and here.
Reporter
- Patrick Skahill, reporter at WNPR in Hartford. He tweets @ptskahill.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.