Why Shouldn't Drugs Be Stored In Cars?

Drug illustration (Photo: Pixabay/moritz320)

YOGYAKARTA Not a few people who store drugs in the car so that they can be used at any time if they experience health problems while driving. In fact, this habit is not good, especially if it is done for a long time. Here are a number of reasons why drugs should not be stored in the car.

Pharmacist Nurchasanah from the Pharmacy Installation RSPUN Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo revealed the reason why drugs should not be stored in the car. One of them is because the temperature is unstable.

He said drugs that had already been stored in the car should not be used anymore, because we could not find out what had happened to the drug.

Even if you want to drink it, Nurchasanah recommends checking whether his physical condition changes or not, or if there is a change in smell.

"For example, if you put it in the car for a long time, the car itself has unstable temperatures, on average the air conditioner heat is not turned on even though it is stored in a basement that is not in the sun, it is better not to use it if there is a change in shape or smell," explained Nurchasanah, quoted from Antara, Sunday, November 26, 2023.

Nurchasanah also mentioned the period of use of drugs before opening from packaging. He reminded to see the expiration date of the drug listed by the manufacturer.

If the expiration date has passed, even though the packaging has not been opened, just throw it away. Because it is no longer suitable for use.

He added, when it is about to dispose of drugs that have expired, it is better to destroy them first. For example, a capsule-shaped drug is circulated first from the shell, solution it to the water and the shell is cut and then thrown away.

"If tablets and pills are destroyed first, mixed with materials such as coffee and soil, then dissolved in a container that can be closed, cut the packaging," explained Nurchasanah.

In line with Nurchasanah, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also advises people to put drugs in plastic bags containing unwanted materials, such as cat droppings or coffee grounds, and throw them in trash. The FDA prohibits people from throwing unused medicines in sinks or toilets.

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That's information about why drugs should not be stored in the car. Hopefully this article can add insight to the loyal readers of VOI.ID.