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Unused prescription drugs: To flush or not to flush?

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Like a lot of people, Lesa has unused prescription drugs at her home. She’s tried to donate them to doctors. She’s tried to donate them to hospitals. To no avail.

She wants to know: Is there any way to donate unused medicine and put it to good use?

It would be nice if that were the case, but it’s not. There’s just too great a chance of mischief (or worse) resulting from drug donations.

So the real question here is how people should dispose of unused medications. The Food and Drug Administration says it’s OK to get rid of most medications in the garbage, but they advise mixing pills with kitty litter or some equally yucky commodity to deter thieves.

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How about flushing them down the toilet? That’s not forbidden, but it’s maybe not the best idea. Unless you like your seafood well-medicated.

For more, check out today’s Ask Laz video.

If you have a consumer question, email me at asklaz@latimes.com or contact me via Twitter @Davidlaz.

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