Table of Contents
SEATTLE — Walgreens is bringing its national “#ItEndsWithUs” campaign to Seattle to educate local teens on the opioid epidemic.
As part of WE Day Seattle at KeyArena, thousands of youth will hear real stories of addiction and how Walgreens is working to combat the nation’s opioid epidemic. The #ItEndsWithUs campaign seeks to provide teens with resources and positive steps that they can take in their community, which are available at the #ItEndsWithUs hub at www.walgreens.com/itendswithus.
The campaign features actor Brandon Larracuente from the popular Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why” and “Bloodline.” Larracuente, who lost a close friend to opioid addiction, will speak via video message to introduce the #ItEndsWithUs campaign. Larracuente will also introduce Becky Savage, a local mother who had two sons die from opioid overdose in the same night. Savage is now working with Walgreens to educate teens on the risks of opioids.
“I believe there’s power in knowledge and that we can make a difference by talking about opioid misuse and abuse,” said Savage. “If my sons understood the risk of opioid overdose, I’m sure they would have made a different choice that night. I hope to raise more awareness through the #ItEndsWithUs campaign.”
Savage will speak about Walgreens safe medication disposal program that began in 2016. Walgreens safe medication disposal kiosks allow individuals to safely and conveniently dispose of their unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions year-round at no cost, including controlled substances and over-the-counter medications. Safe medication disposal kiosks are available in select Walgreens pharmacies in the greater Seattle area during regular pharmacy hours. Most people who misuse prescription drugs first obtain them from a family member or friend, often from a home medicine cabinet.
The #ItEndsWithUs campaign was introduced as another platform to further Walgreens efforts to help combat the national opioid crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths among 15-to-19-year-olds spiked more than 19 percent between 2014 and 2015. The CDC also found that nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.
