Smart Woman: Cleaning Out Your Medicine Cabinet
By: Victor Sotelo
Updated: January 9, 2012
Now's the time to clean out your medicine cabinet.
The American Pharmacists Association is recommending people go through their prescription drugs once a year, and dispose of all unused and expired medications.
The APA says expired medications can lose their potency, reducing their effectiveness and unused drugs can be abused and misused if they fall into the wrong hands.
The best ways to organize your medications?
You should store drugs in a secure area, out of sight of kids and teens, store medications in an area that has little humidity and stable temperatures and lighting, and check the date on all medications in your medicine cabinet, and get rid of drugs that have passed their expiration date.
It's also a good idea to dispose of anything you have not used in the past year or that you no longer need, and never share medications.
Experts say organizing your drugs and medications is important for your health and also makes you aware of what items you have in your home and what may be missing.


