Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet • Back to Keeping Kids Safe People take medication to relieve a variety of ailments. Those same medications can cause injury or even death when taken at the wrong time or by the wrong person. Misuse of medication affects everyone. Not only are they responsible for almost all cases of poisoning hospitalizations among children less than 10 years of age, (National Trauma Registry Bulletin- April 2002) they are also the cause of 25% of hospital admissions for the elderly and 23% of all nursing home admissions as well. (Ontario Drug Awareness Partnership, September 10, 2002).  The 'Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet' campaign has three main messages: Return out-dated, expired and no-longer-required medicines to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Medicines are hazardous wastes- don't throw them out in the garbage and don't flush. Medicines can lead to injury. Protect your household by keeping medicines locked and away from children. To decrease incidence of these injuries or deaths, you need to take a good look at the medicines your home. It's as simple as checking all the places that medicines are stored and cleaning out those that are out-dated and no longer needed. Old medicines should never be kept "just in case". Keeping, taking or sharing old medicines can lead to serious falls and poisonings. Disposing of medications safely ensures that they do not harm your family or the environment. Step 1  Clean out the expired and out-dated medicines in your home. This includes prescription, over the counter, herbal medications and vitamins. Step 2  Place the medicines in a bag (or use a special Medicine Clean Out bag available from a participating pharmacy). Step 3  Bring the bag to your local participating pharmacy for safe and free disposal. Step 4  Medicine remaining in your home should be locked up and out of children's reach.