How you store and dispose of substances and equipment protects the people around you — especially children and pets — and your future self, who needs to remember exactly what that unlabeled baggie was.
Store safely
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1
Label everything Substance, strength, and date. Unlabeled powders and look-alike solutions cause accidental overdoses — including your own.
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2
Lock away from children and pets A locked box, out of reach. A child or animal dose can be tiny and fatal.
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3
Store for stability Cool, dark, and dry preserves most substances; refrigerate solutions. Keep them separate from food and medicine.
Accidental ingestion is an emergency If a child or pet swallows something, call emergency services or poison control immediately — don't wait for symptoms. Carry naloxone if there are opioids in the home.
Dispose safely
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1
Use a sharps container for needles Never put loose needles in the bin. Use a sharps bin (or a rigid sealed container) and return it to a pharmacy or needle program.
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2
Don't reuse or pass on equipment Used injecting or snorting equipment is a biohazard — dispose of it, don't share it.
✓ Do
- Label substances with what, how strong, and when.
- Lock storage away from kids and pets.
- Use a sharps container and return it properly.
✕ Don't
- Don't leave unlabeled substances lying around.
- Don't bin loose needles.
- Don't store drugs with food or medications.