A child-resistant cap is only one part of medication safety. Prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, vitamins and supplements still need to be stored where young children cannot see or reach them, then returned to that location after every use.
March is a useful time for California families to check the whole storage routine. National Poison Prevention Week runs March 15–21 in 2026, with California Poison Control emphasizing poison awareness, including pediatric prevention.
Quick Answer
Keep prescriptions, OTC medicines, vitamins and supplements in a secure location that young children cannot see or reach. California Poison Control recommends original containers with child-resistant caps and locked storage, and CDC advises putting medicines away after every use—even when another dose will be needed later. Keep purses, backpacks, bedside medicines and pill organizers out of reach too. If you think a child may have gotten into medicine, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Why March Is a Good Time to Recheck Medication Storage
National Poison Prevention Week is March 15–21 in 2026. California Poison Control’s observance includes pediatric poisoning prevention, making March a practical reminder to check how medicines move through the home during an ordinary day.
A bottle may start in a locked cabinet but end up on a counter, bedside table or kitchen surface after a dose. A visitor may leave a purse with medicine on the floor. Safe storage works only when the routine continues after the container is opened.
CDC’s Up and Away campaign advises keeping medicines, vitamins and supplements—including gummies—out of sight and reach of young children and putting them away after every use.
Choose a Storage Location Children Cannot See or Reach
California Poison Control recommends storing medicine in a locked cabinet, out of sight and reach of children. It also recommends keeping medicine in its original container with the cap secured after each use.
Height alone is not the same as security. Children climb, pull furniture, open drawers and explore places adults may not expect. A location that works for an infant may no longer be suitable for a toddler or preschooler. Recheck storage as children grow and as household routines change.
01
Secure the Container
- Keep medicine in the original labeled container when possible.
- Relock child-resistant caps fully after each use.
- Do not rely on a safety cap as the only barrier between a child and medicine.
02
Secure the Location
- Use a locked or otherwise secured storage area out of sight and reach.
- Return medicine to that location immediately after each dose.
- Recheck the location as children become taller, stronger and more mobile.
Pharmacy Support
Not sure how a prescription should be stored?
La Quinta Pharmacy can help explain prescription label directions, container questions and general medication-storage information.
What to Do After a Possible Medication Exposure
If you think a child may have swallowed or been exposed to a medicine, vitamin or supplement, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 rather than waiting for symptoms.
If possible, keep the product container nearby. The poison specialist may ask about the child’s age and weight, the product involved, how the exposure happened and when it occurred.
Call 911 for life-threatening symptoms such as unconsciousness, inability to awaken, trouble breathing, seizure or uncontrollable shaking, collapse or extreme weakness. For other suspected poison exposures, call Poison Help for instructions rather than guessing about what to do at home.
A March Home Medication Safety Checklist
Walk through the home once with this list and repeat the check when visitors, travel or a change in routine introduces new storage locations.
- heck every medicine location. Include kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, purses, backpacks and travel bags.
- Lock up medicines. Use a secure location that young children cannot see or reach.
- Relock caps. Secure child-resistant closures after every use, while remembering that they are not child-proof.
- Put medicine away immediately. Do not leave the next dose on a counter or bedside table.
- Include OTC products. Store pain relievers, cough/cold medicines, allergy products and other nonprescription items safely.
- Include vitamins and gummies. Supplements can still be harmful when taken by a child in the wrong amount.
- Talk with visitors. Ask guests to secure purses, coats and bags that contain medicine.
- Save Poison Help. Keep 1-800-222-1222 in your phone and share it with caregivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are child-resistant medicine caps child-proof?
No. California Poison Control specifically notes that child-resistant caps are not child-proof. Secure the cap fully, then store the medicine in a locked or otherwise secure location out of sight and reach.
Should I leave medicine out if my child needs another dose in a few hours?
No. CDC advises putting medicine away after every use, even when another dose will be needed later. Return it to the secure storage location each time.
Do vitamins and gummy supplements need to be locked away too?
They should be stored safely out of children’s sight and reach. CDC’s medication-safety guidance specifically includes vitamins, supplements and gummy products.
What about medicine in a purse or backpack?
Treat the bag as a medicine-storage location. CDC advises keeping purses, coats, backpacks and other bags with medicines up and away and out of sight when young children are present.
What should I do if I think a child swallowed medicine?
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away, even if you are not completely sure. Keep the product container nearby if possible. Call 911 for life-threatening symptoms such as trouble breathing, seizure, collapse or inability to awaken.
Can La Quinta Pharmacy tell me where to store a prescription?
The pharmacy can explain the storage directions on a prescription label and answer general container or medication-storage questions. For a suspected poisoning or accidental exposure, call Poison Help rather than waiting for a routine pharmacy callback.
Make Secure Storage the Default Household Routine
Keep medicine in the correct container, secure the cap, return it to a safe location and include OTC products, vitamins, supplements and visitor bags in the same routine.
For prevention guidance, visit California Poison Control’s medicine safety guidance and CDC’s Up and Away information. For a suspected poisoning, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.
Have a Medication Storage Question?
Contact La Quinta Pharmacy with general questions about prescription labels, child-resistant containers, storage directions or other pharmacy-related medication information.