Taken a medicine chest inventory?

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NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- A U.S. public health campaign has been started to challenge people to take part in a five-step effort to reduce the risk of prescription drug abuse.

Angelo M. Valente, chief executive officer of American Medicine Chest Challenge, said the campaign aims to prevent prescription drug abuse and provide safe disposal options for prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

"Recent American Medicine Chest Challenge initiatives, such as the creation of the National Online Directory of Permanent Prescription Drug Collection Boxes and the release of the American Medicine Chest Challenge Rx Drop mobile application, have made taking the challenge and the disposing of unused, unwanted and expired medicine much easier for American families," Valente said in a statement.

The program challenges people to:

-- Take inventory of your prescription and over-the-counter medicine.

-- Secure your medicine chest.

-- Dispose of your unused, unwanted, and expired medicine in your home or at an approved disposal site.

-- Take your medicine(s) exactly as prescribed.

-- Talk to your children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

The American Medicine Chest Challenge is a non-profit community-based public health initiative, with more than 1,000 community and law enforcement partnerships in all 50 states, designed to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.