[bethin]

How do the drugs get into the water?
People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/03/10....ap/index.html

[presuppose]

I could say "drink filtered beer". But I won't.
Have a nice day,

[snowfreeze]

Maybe let the ativan and xanax stay,,,,,easier to deal with family members.

[elkpark]

Yet another negative consequence of putting everyone in the entire country on a whole bunch of drugs ... But, seriously, folks -- didn't you see this coming? I know I did (just didn't know how long it would take).

[I love my cat!]

Ugh.
It took me a long time not to think about the absolutely disgusting stuff that is flushed down the Hospital hopper.
Now I have to think about this, too.
Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

The beer suggestion..........Hmmmm

[psychnurse1998]

Great question. I had a relative with non hodkings lymphoma, drugs in the drinking water was cited as a possible cause. I asked 2 different pharmcist as to how to best dispose of some expired meds that I had, but neither knew. One told me call the poison control center. As I understand it ..they only test for certain chemicals in the water, so some may go undedected. I the old days if the water was muddy you knew best not to drink it.., but now days, you cant do that.

[StudentNurseBean]

This is really bad news! How will they fix this problem? They found sex hormone here in San Francisco water! This is a very scary problem. A friend of mine works for the forest department and she said the wildlife has been exposed for a long time and killing some animals while making others very sick.

When will we have the strict regulations we need on prescribing? Is it ever going to change??

We are our own downfall

[seneyka]

Originally Posted by bethin

How do the drugs get into the water?
People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/03/10....ap/index.html

It was a long article, but reading your quote freaks me out!
What does it mean by "flushing down the toilet"? Because mainly what do people use toilet for?

[elkpark]

Originally Posted by seneyka

It was a long article, but reading your quote freaks me out!
What does it mean by "flushing down the toilet"? Because mainly what do people use toilet for?

Well, it means "flushing down the toilet"! When you take medication, it doesn't stay in your body forever -- it's excreted in your urine (mostly) and flushed down the toilet when you pee.

Also, people frequently dispose of unwanted/unused medications by flushing them down the toilet (safer than just tossing them in a wastebasket).

[seneyka]

Originally Posted by elkpark

Well, it means "flushing down the toilet"! When you take medication, it doesn't stay in your body forever -- it's excreted in your urine (mostly) and flushed down the toilet when you pee.

Also, people frequently dispose of unwanted/unused medications by flushing them down the toilet (safer than just tossing them in a wastebasket).

I understood "flushing down the toilet", but I meant questioning it the other way. So fecal matter is not as harmful?