Walgreens expands safe medical disposal program in SC
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Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) – AmerisourceBergen, Pfizer and Prime Therapeutics are joining Walgreens to expand the availability of year-round safe medication disposal in South Carolina to 20 safe medication disposal kiosks in select Walgreens locations throughout the state.
The expansion is part of an effort announced last year by leading health care organizations to combat the national opioid abuse crisis by increasing the availability of safe medication disposal kiosks to an additional 900 Walgreens drugstores around the country. When the expansion is complete, kiosks will be available in approximately 1,500 Walgreens stores nationwide.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson will join representatives from AmerisourceBergen and Walgreens today at a Columbia Walgreens location to mark the expansion effort.
“South Carolina has one of the top-10 highest opioid prescription rates in the nation, and we know that a lot of those medications end up in the wrong hands after being taken out of parents’ and grandparents’ medicine cabinets,” Attorney General Alan Wilson said. “Having these safe medication disposal sites will go a long way in preventing a lot of the problems we’ve been seeing in this opioid epidemic.”
Safe medication disposal kiosks allow individuals to safely and conveniently dispose of their unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, including controlled substances and over-the-counter medications, at no cost. The kiosks at Walgreens pharmacies are available during regular pharmacy hours and offer one of the best ways to ensure medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused by someone else.
To find a local Safe Medical Disposal location near you go to: