Opioid Safety Program

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the following:

• Prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine.
• Heroin.
• Synthetic fentanyl is a drug that, in certain doses, is more potent than morphine.

Source: Opioids

Understanding Pain Medication

Pain medications are used to help reduce or relieve pain after illness, injury, or surgery. These medications should always be used as directed by your healthcare provider.

• Common types:
• Tylenol (acetaminophen)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Opioids (for more severe pain, if prescribed); examples: Oxycodone, Morphine, Hydrocodone, Fentanyl

Opioids are only used when pain is severe or not controlled with non-opioid options like Tylenol or ibuprofen

Important Safety Reminder: Do not take Tylenol (acetaminophen) and opioid medications together unless instructed by your healthcare provider, as many opioid medications may already contain acetaminophen. Taking both can increase the risk of overdose.

Non-Medication Pain Management Options

Pain is complex. There are many non-drug options that you can use to manage pain and help decrease your child’s anxiety. These techniques can also become coping skills that your child can use in future life experiences.

Non-Drug Pain Management Options for Children Flyer

• In English
• In Spanish
• In Arabic

Prescription Opioid Safety Flyer

• In English
• In Spanish
• In Arabic

For Tennessee Residents:

The Tennessee REDLINE (1-800-889-9789) is a service that provides addiction information and referrals to Tennessee residents at their request. The service is provided by the Tennessee Association for Alcohol, Drug and other Addiction Services through a contract with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Source: Opioids

For Arkansas Residents: 

• Arkansas Department of Human Services: Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health - Arkansas Department of Human Services
• Arkansas Crisis Center: Arkansas Crisis Center

For Mississippi Residents: 

MS Department of Mental Health: Alcohol and Drug Services – Mississippi Department of Mental Health

The most common method of opioid diversion is through family and friends. Unused and unwanted prescription drugs, when left in cabinets and drawers in your home, are at risk of being used or stolen. Prescription drug take-back boxes are located throughout the state to make the disposal of those medications convenient and easy.

For Tennessee Residents: 

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has 2 locations:

• Le Bonheur Outpatient Pharmacy- 51 N Dunlap St Memphis TN 38105
• Methodist University Hospital Outpatient Tower Pharmacy- 1265 Union Ave Memphis TN 38104
  
  

Check out this map to find a location near you: https://tdeconline.tn.gov/rxtakeback/ or Year-Round Drop-Off Locations - Search Utility

For Arkansas Residents: 

Drug Take Back Location for Arkansas: Year-Round Drop-Off Locations - Search Utility

For Mississippi Residents: 

Drug Take Back Location for Mississippi: Year-Round Drop-Off Locations - Search Utility

Teen substance use in the U.S. remains at historically low levels in 2025, with most teens continuing to avoid alcohol, marijuana, nicotine and opioids, and overall use staying stable compared to recent years. While trends are generally positive, some areas—such as slight increases in certain substances, including opioids, and rising nicotine use among older teens—continue to be closely monitored.

Teen Opioid Use Trends (2025)

• Opioid use among teens remains very low overall, with less than 1% of students in 8th, 10th and 12th grades reporting heroin use in the past year.
• Misuse of prescription opioids is also low, with about 1% of 12th graders reporting past‑month misuse.
• Despite these low rates, both heroin use and prescription opioid misuse showed slight increases in 2025, indicating a need for continued monitoring and prevention efforts. 

For more information, visit: Monitoring the Future survey: Teen substance use remains low in 2025

Le Bonheur's Adolescent Substance Use Clinic

The Adolescent Substance Use Clinic at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital provides compassionate, non-judgmental care for youth ages 8–25, offering evaluation and evidence-based treatment for substance use and related mental health concerns. The clinic uses a team-based approach, including medical care, medication management, and collaboration with behavioral health providers to support each patient’s long-term health and well-being.

Physician:
Lauren Arnold Bell, MD, MPH, FAAP

Location:
Le Bonheur Outpatient Center – Downtown
848 Adams Ave, 3rd Floor, Suite 350, Memphis, TN 38103

Phone:
901-287-5437

Clinic Availability:
Thursdays only

For more information, visit: Adolescent Substance Use Clinic - Le Bonheur Children's Hospital

For Tennessee Residents: 

The Shelby County Health Department offers free harm reduction kits to support opioid overdose prevention in our community. They have a vending machine at 6592 Kirby Center Cove that provides free Narcan and fentanyl test strips. Learn more at: https://www.shelbytnhealth.com/377/Opioid-Overdose-Prevention

For Arkansas Residents: 

Arkansas provides a map of every agency that provides naloxone. Learn more at: https://narcansas.com/narcan-agencies/ 

For Mississippi Residents: 

Request a Naloxone Kit for MS residents: Make Mississippi OD FREE - ODFree.org - Mississippi Overdose Data, Prevention & Treatment

How to Dispose of Pills, Liquids, Creams and Films with Deterra - DeterraSystem.com

Other Resource Information: 

• Poison Control Help Center: 1-800-889-1222
• Suicide Hotline: Call 988 or Text 988 to immediately connect with a trained, confidential crisis

Vea este video para aprender a desechar correctamente los medicamentos: