Boulder Care

Safe Storage of Buprenorphine/Naloxone

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If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. No physician-patient or provider-patient relationship is created by this website or its use. Boulder Care makes no representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use.

Key Points

  1. You need to protect your buprenorphine/naloxone medication
  2. It is especially important to protect children from taking this medication
  3. We are not able to replace lost, stolen, or damaged medication

If Accidental Exposure Occurs

If a child or others are exposed to your buprenorphine/naloxone, call 911 and/or go to the nearest emergency department. 

Symptoms of buprenorphine/naloxone exposure in children include:

  • drowsiness,
  • vomiting,
  • slow breathing,
  • agitation, and
  • unresponsiveness.

Give Narcan to the child immediately if available. Give a second dose of Narcan in 5 minutes if the child still has symptoms.

You will still need to call 911 as the child will need more medical help.

If possible, remove the medication from the child’s mouth as soon as you can. If the child will not open his or her mouth, gently squeeze their cheeks inwards to remove it. If the medication is still visible in the child’s mouth, remove, swipe, rinse, and have them spit. Bring the rest of the medication with you to the emergency department or give it to emergency medical services (the ambulance) when they arrive.

Keep Your Medication Safe

This medication is for you only. This means keeping it in a place where it can’t be found by children. It needs to be out of sight or reach of children. It also means keeping your medication safe from people who want to take some or all of your prescription. This can include older children. You are responsible for your medication.

Do Not Store in a Medicine Cabinet

A medicine cabinet is often the first place people will look for medications. Instead, keep your medication locked in a lockbox, bag, or cabinet. Many pharmacies sell locked boxes for this purpose. Avoid leaving medication in the bathroom, car, or any public space.

Keep the Medication in Its Original Labeled Child-Resistant Container

Do not transfer your pills or film to pill-minders or other storage containers for convenience. Do not put tablets or film down on counters, toilets, sinks, dressers, or nightstands or in any public unsecure space.

Summary

Buprenorphine/naloxone is an important medication for your health. It is to be used by you alone. Please protect children from any use. Keep your medication safe as we are not able to replace it if lost, stolen, or damaged.

Action Steps

  1. Obtain a lockbox or other way to secure your buprenorphine/naloxone medication
  2. Do not store your medication in a medicine cabinet
  3. Keep your medication safely away from children and others

References and Resources

Questions, concerns, or feedback?

You can send a message to your Care Team in the app with non-urgent questions or feedback, or you can always call Boulder's 24/7 Support at 888-316-0451.

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