About the Author

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I'm Michelle Cox -- the owner of Lipstick to Crayons. I’m also a Mom to three kids (a teen, tween and toddler), a professional writer (www.michellemcox.com) and a blogger (www.fromthemom.com). And I love to save money (and help you do the same) via frugal deals and steals, coupons and other thrifty practices. My freelance writing business allows me to enjoy the great balance of being a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom, while also making time for blogging, running (ran the Chicago Marathon twice) some amateur photography and scrapbooking. I’m a St. Louis native, although I have lived outside of the city and the state. A few of my passions are amateur photography, scrapbooking and attending kids' sporting events.

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Safe Giveaway to Safely Store Your Prescription Meds

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I recently attended an orientation at my daughter’s high school and a police officer asked parents this question: “What’s the No. 1 drug of choice was among teens these days?” Naive me — I thought it was marijuana. The officer said it’s prescription drugs that the kids are taking them right out of Mom & Dad’s medicine cabinet.

Michael Rebando, a Long Island locksmith of two decades, experienced a near-tragic incident in which his four-year-old niece was rushed to the hospital after unknowingly consuming over-the-counter medication accidentally left on the kitchen counter.  After conducting his own research, Rebando discovered that in addition to the alarming number of toddler incidents, a reported 2.1 million teens are abusing prescription drugs annually and more than a third of the prescription drugs illegally obtained by teens come from their own homes.

Plus, according to a recent report by the CDC, each year in the United States more than 71,000 children age 18 and younger are seen in emergency rooms for unintentional overdoses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.  It also reported that about one out of every 180 two-year-olds visits an emergency department for a medication overdose each year.

In an effort to help parents keep their meds safely secured and their children out of harm’s way, Rebando developed an electronic lock-box called MedSafe, which debuted this week. Fitting easily into most existing medicine cabinets and holding up to 15 bottles of prescription medicine, the state-of-the-art lock-box features 19,500 changeable combinations and is the perfect tool in keeping potentially harmful meds out of the hands of children. The MedSafe can be easily affixed to the inside of any medicine cabinet with four self-tapping screws included with each unit, and can also be stored in a dresser drawer, kitchen cabinet or closet shelf.

A portion of each unit sold will support teen prescription drug abuse awareness programs through non-profits such as D.A.R.E. The product is presently available at www.helpsaveourkids.com for $49.95, and will soon be available in retail outlets nationwide. But one lucky Lipstick to Crayons reader is going to win one for free by entering the contest below.

Giveaway Guidelines

To enter this contest, tell me why you’d like to win in a comment below.

Receive additional entries by doing any/all of the following, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

  1. Blog about this contest
  2. Subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed
  3. Tweet this giveaway on Twitter
  4. Favorite Lipstick to Crayons on Technorati
  5. Stumble this post
  6. Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time Oct. 20, 2009. Be sure to include a valid email address. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If winner does not claim prize by Oct. 22,  2009, she/he will forfeit the prize to alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

This contest is closed. Congratulations to Bridget G., you are the winner. I’ll be sending you an email shortly.

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There Are 148 Responses So Far. »

  1. I love the idea… but this is honestly too small for my needs… I have experienced a teen accidental overdose that made me realize just how many meds are in my house… Trust me… you need this type of control even if you don’t believe it…

  2. This is such a good idea. I could really use this.

  3. What a clever safety tool. Every home should have a MedSafe box.

  4. This is a great idea. I would love to have one of these

  5. my husband takes alot of meds due to surgeries, etc and I trust my kids but their is the teen impact of others in the house and this locking them up would make things easier on the trust since he has a bunch in his office- I have always told him out them away, etc but he could have them out to remember but still locked up wso noone would grab something

  6. subscriber

  7. I would like to win because we have two little boys who will be curious and able to climb in the near future. This would keep medication out of reach for sure!

  8. Great Idea!

  9. I’d love to win this because our family has a lot of precriptions. Two of my children our on Concerta (for adhd). I think we have a total of 20 scripts. Our teenager is the only one not taking scripts. Thanks for the giveaway.
    Bridgette Groschen
    joeandbridge@aol.com

  10. I subscribe to your email/feed. Thanks!
    Bridgette Groschen
    joeandbridge@aol.com

  11. **Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4579857041

  12. I faved you on Technorati. Thanks!
    http://technorati.com/faves/joeandbridge?show=blogs
    Bridgette Groschen
    joeandbridge@aol.com
    Tech id: joeandbridge

  13. I stumbled your giveaway. Thanks.
    http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#2uvcvM/lipsticktocrayons.com/2009/10/safe-giveaway-to-safely-store-your-prescription-meds.html/
    Bridgette Groschen
    joeandbridge@aol.com
    Stumble id: joeandbridge

  14. What a great way to store things away from little hands. Everyone should have one. I want one to keep them away from little hands.

  15. I subscribe by email.

  16. I’ve experienced theft by friends/family of prescription meds. This would be a boon.

  17. I subscribe.

  18. We could really use this in my home. With a 2 yr old and a 4 yr old, I have been struggling for quite a while trying to figure out a way to keep our medicines out of the chidren’s reach. I have looked into locked cash boxes, safety latches etc. But everything so far has been either too small, not safe enough, or only a temporary solution. One step ahead sells a locked medicine box, but it’s quite small. Theres no way our vitamins and tylenol bottles would all fit also. Right now, I have all our medicines in a high shelf. But I don’t feel it will work for much longer. Soon my 4 yr old will be able to climb up and reach them if he really tried.

    Thanks for a wonderful giveaway!

  19. Subscriber.

  20. i’ve never seen these before but what a brilliant idea!!! i think every parent should have something like this!

    autumn398 @ yahoo.com

  21. I would really like to win this because my hubby is taking over 13 meds a day for his heart, blood pressure and diabetes and currently he has all his stuff next to him on the end table which is a real pain.

    Please enter me. Thank you.

    cherdon@sympatico.ca

  22. Subscriber to your mailing list/RSS feed

  23. tweet

    http://twitter.com/iamcherdon/status/4589411725

  24. Faved Lipstick to Crayons on Technorati

    username is cherdon

  25. To protect the children

  26. Every home needs this to keep kids out of your meds!

  27. this is a great an overdue item. When my son was small we had a big scare with my grandfathers nitro glycern tablets when my grandmother was watching him. He was playing with a bunch of boxes at the bottom of the hall closit and found a bottle that was full and nobody knew was there ( must have fallen years before) and by the time my grandmother had reached him a whole handfull was in his mouth ( they melt so there was no spitting them out) Thank the lord they were years old and only have an active shelf life of 6 months so they were harmless but I have been a fanatic with medicine ever since.

  28. I think this is a great idea, I would love to win for my sister, she has several teens

  29. I subscribe via rss reader

  30. I’d love to win this for my in-law’s. They have a number of meds that they could stash in this and away from my kids. :)

    THANK YOU.

  31. such a good idea

  32. My husband takes quite a few pills each day since his diagnosis of Lymphoma and subsequent stem cell transplant so we could really use this to keep all his pills together and away from children and visitors.

  33. This would be great to use when our grandchildren are visiting!

  34. subscriber

  35. fave you on technorati (thebabblingbrooks)

  36. I tweeted.
    http://twitter.com/sendtocindy/status/4608414468

  37. stumbled this post (babblingbrooks)

  38. This is great I take medication it would be great to keep it in just in case my grandkids would get into it and they would be able thanks.

  39. I have a bad back and teens running through the house this would come in handy

  40. With two toddlers on the loose, I am so pleased just to find out they make products like this. Please enter me into ur contest, I can use all the help I can get protecting my youngsters nowadays.

  41. Children are curious. So locking meds away is brilliant. Every home should have one. I have my fingers crossed.

  42. I live in a house with roommates, and this would be the perfect thing for both security and privacy! What a great idea!

  43. I think this is a wonderful prize. Our two year old and 2 month old grandsons live with us and I always worry about protecting them from things like this. It would be perfect and I really hope that I win.

  44. This looks like a great products. My son is unfortunately on a number of medications so this would be a great way to contain them and keep him safe. Thanks for the giveaway.

  45. My dad had a stroke exactly a year ago and is now paralyzed on his whole left side. He now takes over 10 different medications. It would give my mom and I SUCH peace of mind to have a locked cabinet so that my daughters and 11 month old neice could never get into these harmful medications. This is a superb idea!

    following your blog ;)

    laceylovespink at yahoo dot com

  46. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4657758552

  47. My husband and I were just saying the other day that we need to get something like this. My four year old brought his vitamins to me the other day, having opened the “child-proof” cap by himself. It definitely scared me.

  48. Being recently diagnosed with diabetes I have several new medications. I would love to keep them locked away from my daughter. Great idea. Thanks for the chance.
    mogrill@comcast.net

  49. I would love to win because my family all has some kind of pill they take everyday and it would be great to have a spot to put them all.

  50. I have tweeted about this too:

    http://twitter.com/ShootingStarMag/status/4671348729

    thanks for the giveaway.

  51. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4680998453

  52. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4715897059

  53. We do foster care and it is now a requirement.

  54. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4733080695

  55. This is a great idea. I have several prescription meds that I worry about my kids friends getting ahold of. Its scary to think that one of them might take some for personal use or to sell t school.

  56. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4770121257

  57. I would love to win this.
    I am eptileptic and most of the medications that I take are very strong and dangerous.
    I would feel so much safer that they were locked away so that there is NO chance of my children getting into them
    Thank you so much for the chance to win.

  58. I am subscribed via email.

  59. I have favored your blog on Technorati as jsc123.

  60. this would be great to have with small kids around and to know they can’t get into them wow thanks

    wadesherry@hotmail dot com

  61. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4791079168

  62. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4809100259

  63. I would love to win this for my dad. He is on soooo many pills are 2 heart surgeries and my young nephews visit his home often.

  64. I subscribe via email

  65. Tweet
    http://twitter.com/Karryknisley/status/4810136870

  66. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4835044392

  67. I think this idea is great to keep medicines safe!

  68. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4862302843

  69. I would love to win this to give to my dad. He has arthritis and has lots of meds little ones do not need to be getting their hands on. All of his bottles are easy to open since his arthitic hands can only do so much so they are easy to open for little hands too!

  70. I would like this for the peace of mind. not having to worry about my daughter getting into any medication we have would be great.
    Thanks.
    Adreisinger@aol.com

  71. Email subscriber.
    Adreisinger@aol.com

  72. Tweeted.
    https://twitter.com/afabozzi/status/4876201044
    Adreisinger@aol.com

  73. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4892208117

  74. I’d like to win because I have a lot of meds to keep up with.

  75. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4917080995

  76. u can never b 2 safe

  77. I would love to win this to keep my medicine out of reach of my grandchildren.

  78. I’m an email subscriber via RSS feed.

  79. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4953099206

  80. My two year old grandaughter found my seven day pill container and swallowed a blood pressure pill and almost died. I keep my pills where I hope they are safe but this prize would ease my mind even more. jelly15301@gmail.com

  81. E-mail subscriber. jelly15301@gmail.com

  82. Technorati fav. jelly15301 — jelly15301@gmail.com

  83. Id like to win because I’ve been on medicines for yrs and this would come in handy.
    skyskyaa11(at)gmail.com

  84. I’ve subscribed ~

  85. I would like to win this for my Mom. She has to take 16 pills a day.

  86. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4982300069

  87. This is great! I take med’s and have to hide them from my Grandson, I still get worried thinking he might get them.

  88. I am a subscriber!

  89. I have your button!
    http://littertidbitsfrommschat.blogspot.com/

  90. I’d like to enter because I run a daycare from my home and I wouldn’t have to worry about hiding my medicines from the kids.

  91. Wow- this would be great- you never know how quickly those little hands can get into things. This would be great now that both my kids are old enough to climb, open, and root around for stuff on their own…

  92. I would like to win this because my baby sister visits frequently and I know the peer pressure to use *safe* perscription drugs is high. I don’t like to think of her doing anything like that, but this added security would virtually eliminate the risk.

  93. I subscribe.

  94. Because I know of a case where a drug seeking family member died after taking random meds. This is serious.

  95. Here’s a tweet: http://twitter.com/ky2here/status/4999431509

  96. My husband takes a lot of medications and I want to be able to safely keep them from my kids.

  97. I subscribe by e-mail.

  98. I tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/ag1414/statuses/5000521731

  99. id like to win this for my daughter..she has 4 small children and im always scared they will get into the medicine..

  100. **Daily Tweet**
    http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/5006864922

  101. I would like to win because I take a lot of different medicines and would like them to be secure and in one place.

    madamerkf at aol dot com

  102. I think this is so important.
    When I was in highschool, my best friend was taking pills everyday to get high, and her mother made a big fuss to the school about how her daughter was getting the pills, only to find out they were hers!
    I need this in my home.

  103. My husband takes a lot of prescription medications, and I would feel safer if they were locked away.

  104. I take a lot of prescription medication for my arthritis and diabetes. This safe would really help me in remembering where I put all of my meds and keep them out of the wrong hands!

  105. What an awesome product! I’m on a variety of medication and I’d hate my little one to find any of them, it doesn’t bear thinking about!

  106. I’m a subscriber!

    Thanks for the fantastic giveaway! I’m definitely making a note of the MedSafe and keeping an eye out for them appearing locally!

  107. One word…KIDS! I have a 3 year old and a 15 month old.

    remaho80[at]aol[dot]com

  108. I am of the three small children and need a safe place to store my meds.

  109. My husband is on many medications at this time, and I would feel a little safer having a safe place to store them. There have been two overdoses in my area within the past week..one being a 14 year old boy…so you can never be too safe..no matter what the age!

  110. Great idea, could really use it

  111. What a great idea – I’d love to get this to keep things safe from my toddler (they are already up high, but can never be too safe!) I also have a friend with a teen who has stolen meds before (thankfully no overdose), so am going to recommend it to her as well!

  112. I love this product! We have child safety locks on our cabinets but I still worry, so this would help ease my mind and keep my daughter and my pets safe.

  113. What a great idea – we have a 5-month old who will soon be into everything that isn’t locked up or placed high out of reach. In the case of medications, I would prefer that it be locked up. After all, stuff that is up on shelves can always get knocked down.

  114. tweeted

    http://twitter.com/cakeblast/status/5030398197

  115. Heavens.. I think anyone with kids needs something like this… With too little ones I am always trying to make sure stuff is out of sight and reach.. However, that doesn’t mean it’s safe… this would give my family a little more peace of mind

  116. This would be wonderful to have to lock up our medications. You don’t like to have these in the open. Better to be safe.

  117. http://kngmckellar-glorias.blogspot.com/2009/10/httplipsticktocrayonscom200910safe.html

    blogged

  118. email subscriber

  119. http://twitter.com/kngmckellar/status/5031773112

    tweeted

  120. http://kngmckellar-glorias.blogspot.com/

    have your button already

  121. This would be great to keep medicine safe and secure.

  122. I’m subscribed to your RSS feed.

  123. I would like to have this as we have two curious little ones. Better safe than sorry

  124. subcribe via email

  125. stumbled

    http://ardy22.stumbleupon.com/blog/

  126. have button

    http://ardy22.blogspot.com/

  127. tweeted

    http://twitter.com/Ardy22/status/5034335419

  128. I’d love to win this.. I’ve got 5 kids :)

  129. This is such a good idea. I could really use this.

  130. Add Lipstick to Crayons to my blogroll

  131. subscriber

  132. tweeted @momsfocus

  133. blogged here http://momsfocusonline.com/october-03-other-giveaway.html

  134. i would love this to lock up my hubbys meds

  135. email subscriber

  136. http://twitter.com/klp1965/status/5035926340

  137. Tsi is a great idea. I take quite a few scripts due to an illness and I am always worried about the little ones finding them, as I do keep them up and out of the way. Thanks for the chance.

  138. I really like this idea.

  139. Added blog link to my blogroll.

  140. Tweeted @ http://twitter.com/Naddez/status/5036086511.

  141. It would be great for my parents.

  142. subscriber

  143. Faved you on technorati.(donnak4)

  144. Button on my blog.

  145. I would like to win because I could really use this great prize!

  146. I subscribed to your mailing list.

  147. with 9 grandkids in and out this sounds very useful:)
    ty 4 the entry:)

  148. I want to win this because I have a large family with little ones and I am always afraid that one of them will get into stuff like this.