Walgreens Launches Safe Medication Disposal Kiosk Program in Illinois
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin joins Walgreens at today’s launch to help in
fight against prescription drug abuse
DEERFIELD, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Walgreens today is launching its safe medication disposal kiosk program
in Illinois with the installation of drug take-back kiosks at 45
Walgreens drugstores in Illinois. The launch is part of Walgreens
effort, announced in February, to install safe medication disposal
kiosks at more than 500 of its drugstores around the country.
Walgreens will be joined today by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) at a
Chicago store to kick off the drug take-back program in Illinois.
The kiosks provide a safe and convenient way year-round to dispose of
unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, including controlled
substances, and over-the-counter medications at no cost.
“By making safe medication disposal kiosks available in select Illinois
stores and expanding to other states this year, Walgreens is taking an
important first step to help reduce the misuse of medications throughout
the country,” said Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens
Boots Alliance, Inc. “We are committed to doing our part in not only our
home state, but other states as well, and being part of a comprehensive
solution to reverse this epidemic.”
Senator Durbin said, “Combating the prescription opioid and heroin
epidemic will require an all-hands-on-deck solution. That’s why I
commend Walgreens for its proactive commitment to get addictive pills
out of our medicine cabinets when they are no longer needed. With four
out of five new heroin users starting off by misusing prescription
opioids, we must do more to prevent addiction before it takes hold. I
urge other stakeholders – from drug companies to state and federal
agencies – to take responsibility and do their part to address opioid
addiction and save lives.”
Safe medication disposal kiosks are currently available in more than 300
Walgreens pharmacies across 24 states. The kiosks are available during
regular pharmacy hours (24 hours a day at most kiosk locations) and
offer one of the best ways to ensure medications are not accidentally
used or intentionally misused by someone else.
Drug abuse continues to be a public health and safety risk. More
Americans die every day from drug overdoses than from motor vehicle
crashes, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, almost 15
million Americans misused a prescription drug in 20141, and
that same year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
reported a national total of 47,055 drug overdose deaths, which include
deaths from prescription and illicit drugs. That is a 6.5 percent
increase from 2013 and a 140 percent increase since 2000.2
In addition to offering a year-round solution for individuals to dispose
of their medications, Walgreens continues to participate in DEA
sponsored National Prescription Drug Take Back Days, serving as a
collection point in communities for law enforcement to collect unwanted,
unused or expired medications for safe disposal. The company is also
collaborating with the American Pharmacists Association Institute on
Alcoholism and Drug Dependencies to continue to offer a substance abuse
education program for pharmacists and student pharmacists.
States where Walgreens Safe Medication Disposal Program has been
implemented:
Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Idaho,
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico,
North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin*
*Installation has begun in the state and is expected to be complete
in August.
Select Illinois Walgreens with Safe Medication Disposal Kiosks:
Aurora – 1221 N. Lake St.
Belleville – 5890 N. Belt W.
Berwyn – 7113 Cermak Road
Bloomington – 1525 N. Veterans Pkwy.
Buffalo Grove – 15 N. Buffalo Grove Road
Calumet City – 522 Torrence Ave.
Carbondale – 206 S. Wall St.
Champaign – 1713 W. Springfield Ave.
Chicago – 1931 W. Cermak Ave.; 3405 S. King Drive; 8628 S. Cottage Grove
Ave.; 4010 W. Lawrence Ave.; 4343 N. Central Ave.; 6016 W. 63rd
St.; 5600 W. Fullerton Ave.; 1633 W. 95th St.; 2001 N.
Milwaukee Ave.; 641 N. Clark St.; 3201 N. Broadway St.; 5625 N. Ridge
Ave.; 111 S. Halsted St.
Collinsville – 401 Beltline Road
Decatur – 1311 N. Illinois Route 48
Deerfield – 780 Waukegan Road
Downers Grove – 1000 Ogden Ave.
Elgin – 1700 Larkin Ave.
Glen Ellyn – 324 Roosevelt Road
Hanover Park – 7350 Barrington Road
Joliet – 1801 Ingalls Ave.
McHenry – 3925 W. Elm St.
Montgomery – 1799 Douglas Road
Mt. Prospect – 1028 S. Elmhurst Road
Naperville – 63 W. 87th St.
New Lenox – 466 Nelson Road
Niles – 9000 N. Greenwood Ave.
Olympia Fields – 20950 Governors Hwy.
Orland Park – 14680 S. La Grange Road
Pekin – 2020 Court St.
Peru – 1033 Shooting Park Road
Rockford – 2323 Charles St.
Roscoe – 5065 Hononegah Road
Springfield – 2020 S. MacArthur Blvd.
Sycamore – 1340 Dekalb Ave.
Villa Park – 200 E. Roosevelt Road
Waukegan – 1811 Belvidere Road
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com),
one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail
Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA),
the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More
than 8 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities
across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to
consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health
and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,173 drugstores
with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens omnichannel business includes
Walgreens.com and VisionDirect.com. More than 400 Walgreens stores offer
Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.
1 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s
2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-DetTabs2014/NSDUH-DetTabs2014.htm#tab1-1a
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Increases in
Drug and Opioid Overdose Deaths –United States, 2000-2014 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6450a3.htm
Contacts
Walgreens
Michael Polzin
847-315-2920
michael.polzin@walgreens.com
http://news.walgreens.com
@WalgreensNews
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