Walgreens Pharmacy to Offer Naloxone, Medication Disposal in some Areas
Walgreens today announced the launch of a comprehensive new effort to combat drug abuse, introducing two programs that address key contributors to the crisis.
In the first ongoing national effort of its kind by a retailer, Walgreens will install safe medication disposal kiosks in more than 500 drugstores in 39 states and Washington, D.C., primarily at locations open 24 hours. A full listing of the states to be included in the program is below. The program will make the disposal of medications — including opioids and other controlled substances — easier and more convenient while helping to reduce the misuse of medications and the rise in overdose deaths.
Walgreens also will make naloxone, a lifesaving opioid antidote, available without a prescription at its pharmacies in 35 states and Washington, D.C., rolling out the program state-by-state throughout this year. Naloxone can be used in the event of an overdose to reverse the effects of heroin or other opioid drugs, and is administered by injection or nasal spray. The medication became available without a prescription last week at Walgreens pharmacies throughout the state of New York and will be introduced without a prescription in Indiana and Ohio later this month. A full listing of the states to be included in the program is below. 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. In states where a prescription is required, Walgreens is available and eager to work with regulators to help update rules to allow for dispensing of naloxone without a prescription.
