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Safekeeping Of Medicines
Where to Store Them
Too much heat or cold, humidity and direct sunlight can lower or ruin the effectiveness of many drugs and vitamins. So, keeping them in your bathroom or kitchen may not be the right place to store them. Also, keeping them in your car or packing them in your checked luggage may also be a bad idea. It is best to store your vitamins and medications in a cool, dry place. Once you open the bottle, discard the cotton ball. It absorbs moisture and can harm your drugs.
Sometimes you will know if your medications and vitamins are damaged. They may change color, change in the way they taste, capsules may stick together and pills may flake.
It is also important to store your medications away from children. More than 1,000 children each year require medical care due to unintended medication dosage. If you have young children or grandchildren in your home or with access to your medications, including over-the-counter drugs and vitamins, you need to make sure they don't get a hold of them. The best place to store your medications is where they cannot be reached, not in an unattended purse, an open drawer, or on a table. It is a good idea to store medications in cabinets that cannot be reached by young children. If you are traveling, don't leave your medications in your suitcase if there are young children around. And you may also want to take your medications when children are not watching.
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