Drugs detected in water supplies

Alarming piece...a suggestion for a solution or follow-up would be appreciated.

tere wrote:

Alarming piece...a suggestion for a solution or follow-up would be appreciated.

How about a voluntary label on prescriptions that lets people know how to properly dispose of any unused medications. If you want to make it a law or regulation, then you may have to prove the drugs in extremely low doses have an effect and that would be costly.

P.S. Both the study and the article are meant to be alarmist, thats how they make thier money.

Does this come as a surprise when people flush old meds and drugs down the toilet? NOT! Did you think a big fish was going to swallow all of those pills, and they would go away? Again, NOT! We need a better and safer way to dispose of old, expired medications, and don't check with your local pharmacist. They'll probably tell you to flush them down the toilet! Check with a knowledgeable person--hopefully at your county's waste disposal dept.....or maybe the EPA.

NOmoreBushCheneyEVER wrote:

'War on Drugs'? Not!

Get a life!

Harford6732Reader wrote:

Does this come as a surprise when people flush old meds and drugs down the toilet? NOT! Did you think a big fish was going to swallow all of those pills, and they would go away? Again, NOT! We need a better and safer way to dispose of old, expired medications, and don't check with your local pharmacist. They'll probably tell you to flush them down the toilet! Check with a knowledgeable person--hopefully at your county's waste disposal dept.....or maybe the EPA.

The article was not talking about people flushing drugs down the toilet. It was addressing that people produce the drugs in their waste (urine) when they are taking the drugs.

Melissa wrote:

<quoted text>
The article was not talking about people flushing drugs down the toilet. It was addressing that people produce the drugs in their waste (urine) when they are taking the drugs.

The writer of this article does mention this (passing of drugs through human waste), but gives no information as to why that assumption was made. The study was based solely on the quantities of drugs in the water, not the way they got there.

The reason proper disposal of unused medications was brought up is that it is a reasonable measure to help reduce the quanity of drugs in the water. Trying to regulate prescription drug manufacture, consumption, or elimination by users based solely on water quality data seems ridiculous. Also, removing all of the drugs from the water is not technically feasible.

Melissa wrote:

<quoted text>
The article was not talking about people flushing drugs down the toilet. It was addressing that people produce the drugs in their waste (urine) when they are taking the drugs.

How about a voluntary label on prescriptions that lets people know how to properly dispose of any unused medications. If you want to make it a law or regulation, then you may have to prove the drugs in extremely low doses have an effect and that would be costly.

P.S. Both the study and the article are meant to be alarmist, that's how they make their money.

Sorry about that repeat post. It was meant for the other Topix discussion on the same subject.

The drug infused water is cheaper in Canada - something to do with socialized medical waste.

Let's not be alarmists over this! The advantage of drinking 48 ounces or better of water a day out weigh the risks of this small trace of pharmaceuticals supposedly found in some water in comparison to the benefits of consuming the water our bodies need on a daily basis. The body needs this daily flush. Forget the bottled water. The best is right out of your own tap water. I will continue to drink my 60 ounces of water daily.

Who knows what's in Baltimore's water supply? Where is the outrage to get our water tested immediately? Where are the Mayor, County Executives, Governor, Senatore, Congressmen on this? Is anybody there? Does anybody care? We're living with Lake Springfield and the 3 eyed fish!