Walgreens extends two key drug abuse programs across Washington

DEERFIELD, Ill. - Walgreens recently announced that it has implemented two programs in Washington and Oklahoma to combat drug abuse, part of a comprehensive national plan to address key contributors to the crisis.

Walgreens has installed safe medication disposal kiosks in Walgreens locations across both states. The safe medication disposal kiosks make the disposal of medications easier while helping to reduce the misuse of medications and the rise in overdose deaths.

Walgreens has also made naloxone available without requiring a prescription from an individual’s physician in all of its Washington and Oklahoma pharmacies in accordance with state pharmacy regulations.

“By making safe medication disposal kiosks available in select Washington stores and expanding to other states this year, Walgreens is taking an important first step to curb the misuse of medications throughout the country,” stated Richard Ashworth, Walgreens president pharmacy and retail operations. “As a pharmacy, we are committed to playing a role in what must be a comprehensive solution to prevent prescription drug and opioid abuse.”

To kick off the launch of the safe medication disposal program in Washington, Walgreens hosted at its Kirkland store U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and State Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkalnd, Wash.

“The opioid crisis is tearing apart families across the country, including in Washington state,” DelBene said. “Addressing this epidemic will require a multipronged approach – including prescription drug take-back programs, which are an important tool in preventing the misuse and abuse of medications," she said. "I’m pleased to see Walgreens taking this important step in our community with their safe medication disposal kiosk. We must continue working together to fully address this crisis, and in Congress I will keep pushing to dedicate the resources needed to combat the epidemic of addiction.”

Naloxone is now available without requiring a prescription in more than 130 Walgreens pharmacies throughout Washington and 115 pharmacies throughout Oklahoma.

In February, Walgreens announced plans to make naloxone available without a prescription in 35 states and Washington D.C. in accordance with each state’s pharmacy regulations. Since its announcement, naloxone has been made available without a prescription in more than 1,600 Walgreens pharmacies throughout the states of Alabama, Indiana, Massacusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and now Washington.

When implementation of the program is complete, naloxone will be available without a prescription in more than 5,800 of Walgreens nearly 8,200 stores.

The installation of safe medication disposal kiosks in Washington is part of a nationwide effort and is expected to be completed at more than 500 Walgreens locations later this year.