Posted 04-06-2021
PORT Health is proud to partner with the NC Lock Your Meds campaign to educate families about the prevalence and dangers of prescription drug misuse. Lock Your Meds® is a national multi-media campaign designed to reduce prescription drug abuse by making adults aware that they are the “unwitting suppliers” of prescription medications being used in unintended ways, especially by young people.
While many believe that prescription medications are safer than illegal drugs, when they are not used as directed these medications can be as dangerous as illegal drugs. Drug overdose is a leading cause of unintentional injury death in North Carolina with the majority of overdose deaths being medication-related, occurring when people misuse or abuse those medications. 53% of those misusing prescription drugs get them from their families and friends, often without the knowledge of the person the drug was initially prescribed to.