| 1 | 1 | | 81R25161 CBE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Cook H.R. No. 1695 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, It is vital that unused prescription medicine be |
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| 7 | 7 | | properly disposed of to avoid drug diversion; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The Food and Drug Administration worked with the |
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| 9 | 9 | | White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to develop the |
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| 10 | 10 | | first consumer guidelines for proper disposal of prescription |
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| 11 | 11 | | drugs; the same disposal methods for prescription drugs apply to |
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| 12 | 12 | | over-the-counter drugs as well; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, Issued in 2007, the federal guidelines warn against |
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| 14 | 14 | | flushing prescription drugs down the toilet unless the drug label |
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| 15 | 15 | | or patient information specifically says to do so; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, If no instructions for the medicine are given, the |
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| 17 | 17 | | guidelines call for the drugs to be taken out of their original |
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| 18 | 18 | | containers and mixed with an undesirable substance, such as coffee |
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| 19 | 19 | | grounds or kitty litter; this way the medication will be less |
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| 20 | 20 | | appealing to children and pets and unrecognizable through the trash |
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| 21 | 21 | | bag; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, The guidelines go on to recommend putting the |
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| 23 | 23 | | medicine in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent |
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| 24 | 24 | | the medication from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag; in |
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| 25 | 25 | | addition, it is suggested that all identifying information be |
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| 26 | 26 | | removed from the container to protect one's identity and personal |
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| 27 | 27 | | health information; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Disposing of medicine in the household trash is |
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| 29 | 29 | | preferable to flushing it down the toilet because landfills are |
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| 30 | 30 | | governed by strict Environmental Protection Agency regulations to |
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| 31 | 31 | | prevent disposed items from affecting the environment; now, |
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| 32 | 32 | | therefore, be it |
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| 33 | 33 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 34 | 34 | | Legislature hereby encourage all Texans to properly dispose of |
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| 35 | 35 | | prescription and over-the-counter drugs. |
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