Is the drug you just saw advertised right for you? Here are a few things to think about before you ask for the latest wonder drug.

• Your doctor won’t take medications back if they don’t work and neither will your pharmacy. Disposing of them responsibly isn’t easy.
• You can’t give them away—it’s a crime.
• Flushing medications down the toilet is bad for the environment. Water Reclamation plants aren’t designed to remove these complex chemicals from the water. Estrogen, painkillers and Prozac are just a few of the drugs that are showing up in our state's waterways. If you’re on a septic system, antibiotics can disrupt the bacterial action needed for your system to work.
• Throwing them in the trash causes less pollution, but once they leave your hands, they might wind up in someone else’s.

Options

Kaiser-Permanente members can return unused pharmaceuticals to the Rock Creek Pharmacy. These medications will be turned over to a medical recycling company and will be destroyed by incineration.

The Colorado Department of Public Health has begun a Take-Back Program for prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. This program provides tamper-resistant collection boxes at several area locations. In Boulder County, the King Soopers at 1650 30th Street in Boulder is the nearest location.