DUBLIN, Ohio, April 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cardinal
Health Foundation and Kroger will host drug take-back events at
more than 200 local pharmacy locations across the country from
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2019 as part of the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration's National Prescription Drug Take-Back
Day. The event provides a safe, convenient and anonymous way for
customers to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs.
You can find drug take-back locations at one of the links
below:
- Kroger take-back locations
- Harris Teeter take-back
locations
- Ralphs take-back locations
Local law enforcement officers will be onsite to help
participants securely dispose of their medications. Kroger pharmacy
associates will offer free DisposeRx® at-home medication disposal
packets.
According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,
more than 53% of those who misused prescription pain medications
obtained them from a friend or relative[1].
Kroger and Cardinal Health have been deeply committed to finding
and supporting solutions to prescription drug misuse for many
years.
"The Cardinal Health Foundation is proud to continue our
partnership with Kroger to host annual drug take-back events across
the country in order to help local communities dispose of unused or
expired medications," said Jessie
Cannon, vice president of Community Relations at Cardinal
Health. "These events provide an opportunity to shine a light on
the importance of using—and disposing of—medications safely. For a
decade, we've been educating people all across the country on safe
medication practices with Generation Rx, the prevention education
program created by the Cardinal Health Foundation and The
Ohio State University College of
Pharmacy, and through the Opioid Action Program."
Generation Rx has four critically important medication
safety principles:
- Only use prescription medications as directed by a health
professional
- Never share your prescription medications with others or use
someone else's prescription medications
- Always store your medications securely to prevent others from
taking them, and properly dispose of medications that you no longer
need
- Be a good example to those around you by modeling these safe
medication-taking practices and discussing the dangers of misusing
prescription drugs with your family, friends, colleagues, students
or patients
"The April 27 take-back event,
which provides a safe and convenient way for our customers to
dispose of their unused or expired medications, is just one step of
our comprehensive commitment to help the communities we call home
combat the opioid epidemic," said Colleen
Lindholz, Kroger's president of pharmacy and The Little
Clinic. "We offer naloxone, the life-saving medication to help
rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, as well as free DisposeRx® for
customers of qualifying medications to keep unused drugs from being
used improperly."
The Cardinal Health Foundation has supported take-back events at
Kroger locations for several years. In 2018, collection events
hosted by Kroger and Cardinal Health resulted in the safe disposal
of more than 40,000 pounds of unused prescription drugs.
About Kroger:
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are
dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human
Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who
serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital
shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of
banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift,
and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn
more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.
About Cardinal Health:
Cardinal Health, Inc. is a
global, integrated healthcare services and products company,
providing customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems,
pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and
physician offices worldwide. The company provides clinically proven
medical products, pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that
enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. To help
combat prescription drug misuse, the company and its education
partners created Generation Rx, a national drug education and
awareness program. Backed by nearly 100 years of experience, with
approximately 50,000 employees in nearly 46 countries, Cardinal
Health ranks #14 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit
cardinalhealth.com, follow @CardinalHealth on Twitter,
@cardinalhealthwings on Facebook and connect on LinkedIn at
linkedin.com/ company/cardinal-health.
[1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Available online at:
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHFFR2017/NSDUHFFR2017.pdf
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SOURCE Cardinal Health