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DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens is bringing its #ItEndsWithUs campaign to Dallas to educate local teens about opioid abuse.
The drug chain said Tuesday that, as part of “WE Day Texas” at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, thousands of local students will hear stories of addiction and how Walgreens is taking action to combat the opioid epidemic. The #ItEndsWithUs campaign aims to provide teens with resources and positive steps they can take in their community.
The Walgreens #ItEndsWithUs campaign will feature actor Brandon Larracuente from the popular Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” and “Bloodline,” who lost a close friend to opioid addiction. Larracuente will speak via video message to introduce to a local Texan, Adelle Buede, who overcame her addiction and is now working with Walgreens to raise awareness. Buede will speak about Walgreens safe medication disposal program that began in 2016.
The drug disposal kiosks provide a safe and convenient way to discard unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, including controlled substances and over-the-counter medications at no charge. Kiosks are available in more than 50 Walgreens pharmacies in Texas during regular pharmacy hours. Walgreens noted that most people who misuse prescription drugs first obtain them from a family member or friend, often from a home medicine cabinet.
In Dallas County, at least 1,928 people have died of opioid or heroin overdoses since 2011, according to a Dallas Morning News review of records cited by Walgreens.
Walgreens added that it will continue to raise awareness around the opioid epidemic at upcoming WE Day events in 2018, with the help of Larracuente engaging teens nationwide.
As part of its national plan to combat drug abuse, Walgreens has made naloxone, a life-saving opioid antidote, available without a prescription in all of its 700 pharmacies in Texas, in accordance with state pharmacy regulations. Naloxone is administered by injection or nasal spray.
Walgreens has also installed safe medication disposal kiosks in 600 of its pharmacies across 45 states and is iexpanding its program to an additional 900 Walgreens drug stores across the country. When the program is completed, thel kiosks will be available in 1,500 Walgreens locations nationwide.
The drug chain said will continue to create awareness on the opioid epidemic at WE Days in Los Angeles on April 19, 2018; Chicago on April 25, 2018; and Seattle on May 3, 2018. These new markets follow the campaign’s launch at WE Day UN in at Madison Square Garden in September 2017.
