+
upworthy
Family

How a quick trip to your local pharmacy can help fight drug addiction and overdose.

Walgreens will install 500 medication disposal kiosks nationwide.

Do you have a bunch of expired or unused prescription medications scattered throughout your house?

Maybe you toss them in the trash or maybe you just hoard them in an unused drawer. Whatever the case, it's something most of us have done (myself included) at one time or another. Well, as you may have guessed, in some cases, that's not exactly the ideal course of action.

Certain drugs, especially narcotic pain relievers and other controlled substances, can cause major harm to others if not properly disposed. Improperly discarded medications have the potential to be found by people — adults and children — for whom they weren't prescribed, creating the likelihood of abuse, such as addiction or even overdose.


Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images.

In February 2016, Walgreens announced plans to roll out kiosks that will let customers safely discard unused or expired medication. They'll be installing more than 500 kiosks.

Walgreens announced the plan in response to the opioid epidemic and the dramatic increase in deaths related to opioid pain relievers and heroin over the past 16 years. In addition to that, naloxone, an opioid antidote, will be made available in more than 35 states across the country without a prescription.

A safe disposal kiosk is seen here during an event unveiling a multistate program to combat opioid abuse in the U.S. Photo by Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images.

Addressing the epidemic has been a priority for both President Obama and members of Congress.

In February, Representative Robert Dold (R-IL) introduced legislation to combat opioid-related overdose deaths. The bill, part of the larger Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 400 to 5. In July, the bill was signed into law by President Obama. The focus of Rep. Dold's bill is to expand access to naloxone to first responders.

Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL). Photo by Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images.

While there are a number of other places that accept unused prescriptions, such as police and fire departments, putting them in pharmacies make it much more convenient.

"Yes, it's a safe place to bring unused medications," Illinois State Senator Michael Connelly told the Naperville Sun about the rollout at nearby Walgreens Deerfield headquarters. "But more importantly, it's a constant reminder when you come to pick up your prescription that there's a problem out there, and that you, too, have to be involved in safely disposing of medications."

"Across all of America, 47,000 people have died because of drug overdoses, Walgreens Boots Alliance co-COO Alex Gourlay told CBS. "It’s a real issue that we want to play our part in controlling and hoping to solve."

Bottles of prescription medications. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

There are firm steps you can take to reduce the chances of your drugs winding up in the wrong hands — and it's potentially lifesaving.

If you're not sure if there's a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorized unused medication drop location near you, you can visit the agency's website or call 1-800-882-9539.

If for some reason you absolutely must dispose of medicine in your household trash, the Federal Drug Administration recommends mixing medicines with "unpalatable substances such as dirt, kitty litter, or used coffee grounds," place the mixture in a sealed plastic bag, and throw the bag in the trash. Some medicines, however, are safe to simply flush down the sink or toilet — you can find a list on the FDA website.

Family

Mom calls out teacher who gave her son a 'zero' grade for not providing class with supplies

Her viral video sparked a debate as to whether or not providing school supplies should be mandatory for parents.

@shanittanicole/TikTok

A zero grade for not providing school supplies?

The debate as to whether or not parents should supply classroom supplies is not new. But as prices continue to rise, parents are growing more baffled as to how they can be expected by teachers to provide all the various glue sticks, colored pencils, rulers and other various items the incoming students might need.

What’s even more perplexing, however, is penalizing the children of parents who won’t (or can’t) provide them.

This was the case for Shanitta Nicole, who discovered her son received a zero grade in his new school for not bringing school supplies for the entire classroom.
Keep ReadingShow less

A group of men look at paperwork.

The massive changes to the American workplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic invited many to reconsider their professional lives. This reevaluation has led people to push for improved work-life balance, and many now are looking for work to provide a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

When the world returned to work after COVID, many believed they deserved to be treated better by their employers. This resulted in many taking a break from the workforce or changing professions altogether. It also helped usher in a more comfortable culture for calling out companies that don’t treat their employees respectfully.

Recently, a group of thousands came together on Reddit to expose the common mistruths that people often hear at the workplace. It all started when a Redditor named PretenstoKnow asked: "What's the most common lie employers tell their employees?" And over 2,600 people responded.

Keep ReadingShow less

Golden Retrievers are the ultimate good doggos.


If there's any dog breed that encapsulates "good doggo" energy, it's the Golden Retriever. Friendly, gentle, good-natured and oh-so-affectionate, Goldens have come by their reputation honestly. Even "I'm not a dog person" people tend to find themselves taken by Golden Retrievers, and a post on TikTok demonstrates why.

The video shared by @hugoandursula is captioned "my dog getting cuddles from strangers on the train," and that's exactly what it shows in the most adorable montage ever.

Keep ReadingShow less
Photo Credit: William Fortunado via Canva

Amanda Seals breaks down history of DAP handshake

We've all seen people do it. Anywhere from basketball players on television to kids meeting up at the skating rink. Even former president Barack Obama when greeting a mixed group of men gave "DAP" to the Black men in the group, yet switched to a firm handshake when greeting the other men.

It was almost like watching the president code switch, but with body language, in a move that many Black Americans recognize as a gesture of acceptance and comradery. But did you know that there's an actual history behind the DAP that has nothing to do with looking cool? Social justice educator and actress, Amanda Seales, recently re-shared a clip from "The Real" where she was diving into the history of the handshake.

Seales, who has a master's degree in African American Studies from Columbia University, was also admittedly surprised when she learned there was a deeper meaning to the gesture.

Keep ReadingShow less
Health

Neuroscientist reveals perfect amount of time to spend on social media for your mental health

Over several weeks, the participants felt less loneliness, depression and anxiety.

@rachelle_summers/TikTok

Anyone can use this checklist.

There are pretty clear cut guidelines on how much screen time kids should have, but for adults…not so much. And perhaps it’s this lack of clarity that leaves people to go on full blown digital detoxes or get off social media entirely.

And while there is certainly a case to be made for that decision, for many of us, that isn’t quite feasible—especially in certain lines of work.

Luckily, according to neuroscientist Rachelle Summers, there is a way we can still be on social media, without being subjected to its negative side effects.
Keep ReadingShow less
Photo by Kats Weil on Unsplash

Ready for a refreshingly wholesome story?

The stereotypical image we get of bachelor parties is a booze-filled evening of depravity and bad choices. Followed of course by a massive hangover…and some regrets.

And granted, there are plenty of viral videos to show that this is sometimes the case. But there are also plenty of grooms who don’t see it as their “last night as a free man.” On the contrary, they see it as an opportunity to simply celebrate the next chapter with close friends.

Case and point: a husband-to-be named Luke, who apparently couldn’t stop “gushing” about his bride, Sam. This, according to a woman also named Sam, who happened to be at the bar Luke was having his bachelor party at.
Keep ReadingShow less