Disposing of prescription medication

So you're not supposed to flush prescription medication - it gets into the water system and poisons our children.

You're not supposed to throw it away.  Animals or people might get their hands on it and use it.

I read online that you are supposed to mix medicine with coffee grounds or used kitty litter, put it in a plastic bag, then put that in a paper bag, and then put that in the trash.  Supposedly this makes people and animals not want to use it.

But I don't drink coffee and I don't have a cat.  So what am I to do?  Well, I had a doctor's appointment today, so I figure I'll ask the doctor.

Unfortunately, the doctor doesn't know how to dispose of medicine, and referred me to ask at the pharmacy downstairs.

At the pharmacy, the person behind the counter did not know that - the question had obviously never occurred to her.  She set up a Consult with the Pharmacist who told me to mix it with water and put it in a plastic bag, and then throw it away.

I'm just surprised that people in the profession don't know how to dispose of medicine.  They dispense it frequently - heck, I've been given samples and prescriptions by the doctor I was asking.  You'd think if they dispense it, they'd know a) that there's something special to do other than tossing it in the trash, and b) what that something special is.