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Attention Seniors:
STAMP Out Prescription Drug
Misuse & Abuse
Making the Best Use of Your Medicines
Know Your Medicine
As long as I take the medication, it doesn’t matter at what time of day I take it.
True or False?
On days when I wake up feeling good, I don’t have to take my medication.
True or False?
I had the same cold last year, so I can use the antibiotics I had left over for
this cold.
True or False?
We Take More Medicine
as We Get Older
• Taking medicine prescribed by your doctor
is usually safe and effective.
But, as we age, our bodies change. We
handle medicine differently than when we
were younger.
…So, it is important to be careful with medicine.
OOPS
Sometimes we don’t take medicine
the way the doctor prescribes . . .
What Are Some Ways We
Take Medicine WRONG?
We take MORE
We take LESS
We take more OFTEN
We FORGET
We STOP before we are supposed to
We give OTHER people our medicine
We TAKE other people’s medicine
This is PRESCRIPTION DRUG MISUSE
Prescription Drug Misuse is
UNSAFE
What can happen if you misuse
Prescription Drugs?
You might not get well
You might actually get sicker
You might have to go to the doctor or the
hospital
It might lead to prescription drug ABUSE
What if Someone Takes
Prescription Drugs
Wrong on PURPOSE?
If someone takes:
More medicine than prescribed
More often than prescribed
For no medical reason
Or mixes medicine with alcohol or illegal drugs
This is PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE
Commonly Abused
Medications
Opioid (narcotic) painkillers
Medicine for anxiety
Sleeping pills
Take these medicines only if YOUR
doctor prescribed them for YOU and
take them just as the doctor ordered!
Prescription Drug Abuse is
UNSAFE
Health gets worse
Higher risk of accidents
Higher risk of falls and injuries
Serious side effects
Physical dependence and addiction
Recognizing Prescription
Drug Abuse
Look for these signs . . .
Sudden change in behavior
Withdrawal from family, friends, activities
Rapid increase in the amount of medicine
that is needed
Very frequent refills
“Doctor shopping” to get several
prescriptions for the same medicine
How to Help Someone
Abusing Prescription Drugs
Get them to talk to a doctor, counselor or
other health professional
Encourage them to be honest about
exactly how they are taking their
medications
The sooner, the better
Be Part of the Solution
STAMP Out
Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse by
Safely
Taking
All
Medicine
Properly
How to . . .
STAMP Out Prescription
Drug Misuse & Abuse
Keep an up-to-date list of all your medicines –
prescription and over-the-counter
Take your medicine list to ALL your medical
appointments: doctor, dentist, emergency room,
hospital stays, and share with your pharmacist
Take your medicine EXACTLY as prescribed
Only use the medicine for the reason it was
prescribed
More STAMP Out Tips
If you are not sure how to take a medicine, ask
your doctor or pharmacist
Ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects
to watch out for and interactions with other
medications
Ask how the medicine will affect driving and
other daily activities
Talk with your doctor BEFORE you change a
dose or stop taking a medicine
More STAMP Out Tips
Do not crush or break pills without checking
with your doctor or pharmacist
Don’t use someone else’s medicine
Don’t share your medicine with anyone else
Don’t mix your medicines with alcohol
Don’t be afraid to ask for help in organizing
your medicines
Schedule a yearly “medication check-up” with
your doctor and pharmacist
And Finally. . .
If you want to help fight
Prescription Drug Misuse & Abuse
CLEAN OUT YOUR
MEDICINE
CABINET!!
The Medicine Cabinet
can be DANGEROUS
Accidental poisonings, abuse and misuse often
occur when people store old medications in their
homes
A majority of abused prescription drugs are
obtained from family and friends, including from
the home medicine cabinet
You may become a target for theft or scams by
those looking for drugs to abuse
Prevent Poisonings,
Misuse & Abuse and
Protect the Environment
Properly dispose of unused/expired medicine
 DO NOT FLUSH unused medications
 DO NOT POUR them down a sink or drain
 Take advantage of community drug take-back
programs that allow the you to bring unused
drugs to a central location for proper disposal
It’s Up to You to
STAMP Out
Prescription
Drug Misuse & Abuse
Why don’t you start today?
For More Information
 Prescription and Illicit Drug Abuse: Information on
older adults, tips on prevention, treatment
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/drugabuse
 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) www.samhsa.gov
Treatment Referral Line 800-662-HELP (4357)
 Find a Senior Care Pharmacist: Specializing in the
medication needs of older adults
https://www.ascp.com/find-senior-care-pharmacist
Medication Disposal
DisposeMyMeds.org
 An online resource to help find medication disposal
programs at the local independent community pharmacy
near you
Drug Take Back Network
 Information on permanent and regularly recurring drug
take-back events
www.takebacknetwork.com/local_efforts.html
SMARxT Disposal™
 http://www.mnsmartdisposal.net/
Safeguard My Meds.org
 http://www.safeguardmymeds.org/
STAMP OUT Prescription
Drug Misuse & Abuse Tool Kit
Program is brought to you by The American Society of
Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP). STAMP OUT was developed
by the ASCP Foundation and supported by an educational
grant from Purdue Pharma L.P
STAMP Out Prescription
Drug Misuse & Abuse
QUESTIONS?
http://www.ascp.com/STAMPOut
What Did You Learn Today?
Which WORDS below complete the medication
SAFETY TIPS on the next slides?
List
Exactly
All
Before
Expired Alcohol Not
Reason
Crush
Year Abuse Misuse
Use each word only once!
What Did You Learn Today?
Choose from these Words:
List Exactly All Before Reason Crush
Expired Alcohol Not Year Abuse Misuse
1. I will take my medicine ________ as my doctor
prescribed it.
1. I will take my medicine EXACTLY as my doctor
prescribed it.
2. Taking medicine for non-medical reasons is
prescription drug ______.
2. Taking medicine for non-medical reasons is
prescription drug ABUSE.
What Did You Learn Today?
Choose from these Words:
List Exactly All Before Reason Crush
Expired Alcohol Not Year Abuse Misuse
3. I will ____ share my medicines with
anyone else.
3. I will NOT share my medicines with
anyone else.
4. I will keep an up-to-date medicine ____.
4. I will keep an up-to-date medicine LIST.
What Did You Learn Today?
Choose from these Words:
List Exactly All Before Reason Crush
Expired Alcohol Not Year Abuse Misuse
5. I will take my medicine for the _______ it was
prescribed.
5. I will take my medicine for the REASON it was
prescribed.
6. I will go through my medicine cabinet and get rid
of ________ medicines at least once a year.
6. I will go through my medicine cabinet and get rid
of EXPIRED medicines at least once a year.
What Did You Learn Today?
Choose from these Words:
List Exactly All Before Reason Crush
Expired Alcohol Not Year Abuse Misuse
7. Taking medicine differently than prescribed
is prescription drug _______.
7. Taking medicine differently than prescribed
is prescription drug MISUSE.
8. I will not mix my medicines with ________.
8. I will not mix my medicines with ALCOHOL.
What Did You Learn Today?
Choose from these Words:
List Exactly All Before Reason Crush
Expired Alcohol Not Year Abuse Misuse
9. I will get a “medicine check-up” with my doctor
and pharmacist every _____.
9. I will get a “medicine check-up” with my doctor
and pharmacist every YEAR.
10. I will check with my doctor _______ making
any changes in how I take my medicine.
10. I will check with my doctor BEFORE making
any changes in how I take my medicine.
What Did You Learn Today?
Choose from these Words:
List Exactly All Before Reason Crush
Expired Alcohol Not Year Abuse Misuse
11. I will take my current medicine list to ___ my
doctors and health care providers.
11. I will take my current medicine list to ALL my
doctors and health care providers.
12. Do not _______ medications without checking
with your pharmacist.
12. Do not CRUSH medications without checking
with your pharmacist.