Can you believe it’s already June? And if you’re anything like me, the everyday hustle and bustle has overshadowed my must-do chores like spring cleaning. Between planning events for my treatment center, catching up with my son, and taking time for me, it’s been a challenge to figure out what household items and knickknacks I need to keep and what I need to toss or donate. But I was really inspired by a Northern California town that recently held a “Medication Disposal Day” where residents were invited to drop off their unwanted medications for proper disposal. This “Medication Disposal Day” event and others like it are such great ways to draw attention to the importance of taking inventory of the medicines we have at home not just during the spring, but year-round. There are so many good reasons to have medicines at home—particularly now, during one of the worst allergy seasons in recent years—but with teens abusing both OTC and Rx medicines, it’s important to keep in mind these tips for safeguarding your home:

• Keep track of your medicines.
• Know exactly how much medicine is in each bottle or package.
• Properly discard the OTC and prescription medicines that you no longer need or that have expired.
• Tell other parents of teens to do the same.

Safeguarding your medicines, however, is only one part of the solution. Remember to educate yourself on teen medicine abuse by keeping up to date with the latest trends and regularly talk with your teens about the consequences of medicine abuse. As parents, we are a key influence in our childrens’ lives, so be sure to not only clean your medicine cabinet, but use it as a learning experience to explain to your teens what you’re doing and why. Join us on the Stop Medicine Abuse Facebook page to share and discuss ways you make your house safe. So, as you embark upon your spring cleaning this year, I encourage you to take a look in your medicine cabinets and toss what’s expired, and take count of what you’re keeping.