Monroe Kroger hosting Take Back Prescription Drug Day today
Kroger, including the Monroe store, is hosting its annual drug take back events at more than 150 local pharmacy locations across the country.
Today, Oct. 29, is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
In recent years, the rate of U.S. adults taking prescription drugs has steadily increased, with the most recent data from the Health Policy Institute showing about 66% of U.S. adults are taking prescription drugs. With these increases in prescription drug usage, misuse of expired or unused medications is always a concern.
“Kroger Health is beyond excited to once again collaborate with Cardinal Health to provide anonymous, safe and convenient locations to safely dispose of any unused or expired prescription drugs,” said Ban George, health & wellness leader, The Kroger Co. of Michigan. “This step is one we can all take to help strengthen our communities and help people live healthier lives.”
“At Cardinal Health, it’s always a priority for us to help lead the fight against prescription medication misuse,” said Jessie Cannon, vice president of community relations at Cardinal Health. “We are honored to work with like-minded organizations such as Kroger Health who are committed to improving the health of our communities and reducing prescription medication misuse. By providing centralized locations for community members to dispose of medication safely, we are helping keep our communities safe."
The Drug Take Back event ladders up to Cardinal Health’s Generation Rx program, an evidence-informed prevention education program which offers age-appropriate resources to teach others about using medications safely. Generation Rx was founded at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and has been powered through a partnership with Cardinal Health since 2009.
In the Michigan area, drug take back events are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local law enforcement officers will be on site to accept unused, unwanted or expired pills, liquids, gels, over-the-counter (OTC) medications and patches just outside stores (no medications will be accepted inside stores).
Kroger southeast Michigan-area locations include:
Kroger, 1905 N Canton Center Rd, Canton, MI 48187
Kroger, 12731 S Saginaw St, Grand Blanc, MI 48439
Kroger, 2808 Ashman St, Midland, MI 48640
Kroger, 850 S Monroe St, Monroe, MI 48161
Kroger, 44525 Ann Arbor Rd W, Plymouth, MI 48170
Kroger, 2907 Krafft Rd, Port Huron, MI 48060
Kroger, 22801 Harper Ave, St Clair Shores, MI 48080
Kroger, 43893 Schoenherr Rd, Sterling Heights, MI 48313
Kroger, 2105 South Blvd W, Troy, MI 48098
Kroger, 36430 Ford Rd, Westland, MI 48185
Kroger, 65 S Livernois, Rochester, MI 48307
Every day, Kroger Health pharmacists are available at store locations to educate customers about proper medication use and disposal. In-store pharmacies also offer naloxone – the life-saving medication that helps reverse opioid overdose – and free DisposeRx at-home disposal packets for customers with qualifying prescriptions.
During the events, Kroger Health pharmacy associates will distribute free reusable totes with DisposeRx at-home medication disposal packets, mental health resources and Generation Rx materials (note: quantities are limited).
Cardinal Health has joined Kroger Health in hosting drug take back events across the U.S. for several years. More than 115,000 pounds of unused prescription drugs have been collected for safe disposal during these events. To view the complete list of Kroger Health drug take back event locations across the country, visit Kroger.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe Kroger hosting Take Back Prescription Drug Day today
