Table of Contents
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health has expanded its safe medication disposal program with in-store kiosks.
The new disposal units inside 750 CVS Pharmacy stores will add to the more than 800 CVS medication disposal kiosks the company has donated to law enforcement officials across the country. Those units have collected more than 100 metric tons of unwanted medication.
Proper disposal of unused medications can reduce the risk of misuse, abuse or diversion.
“Solving the opioid crisis will not be easy, and it will take the concerted effort of patients, providers, payers, pharmacies, advocacy organizations, elected officials and community leaders,” said Thomas Moriarty, executive vice president, chief policy and external affairs officer, and general counsel at CVS. “Our safe medication disposal program is just one of the many initiatives we have undertaken to help prevent opioid abuse and drug addiction in our communities.”
The company unveiled its first in-store disposal units in Wilmington, N.C., and Pittsburgh.
“The opioid crisis is tearing apart families all over North Carolina and this nation,” stated North Carolina attorney general Josh Stein. “Safely disposing of unneeded medications is an important and simple step we can all take to keep these drugs out of the wrong hands. I applaud and thank CVS for making it easier for us to get rid of these dangerous and highly addictive drugs.”
Attorney general Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania said, “Eighty percent of heroin users start with a legal prescription drug. We appreciate this effort to end diversion of these highly addictive drugs.”
CVS also continued to underscore the importance of proper medication disposal elsewhere, with the donation of two kiosks to the Chatham County sheriff’s office in Savannah, Ga.
