Meijer touts success of Drug Take Back program
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Meijer pharmacists are ready to help customers looking to dispose of their unwanted, unused and expired medications.
Drug Take Back Day is a national initiative organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration to safely collect and dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. The goal is to prevent drug misuse and reduce the risk of accidental poisonings or overdoses. It also aims to limit the environmental harm that can result from improper disposal methods, such as flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash.
Meijer first participated in the national program in February 2019 and has since collected nearly 200 tons of unneeded medications in easily identifiable kiosks near each of its in-store pharmacies. To date, Meijer customers have returned nearly 76,000 pounds, or 37 tons, of unused/unwanted medications from proper disposal.
[Read more: Meijer opens full-service retail pharmacy on-site at Blodgett Hospital]
"At Meijer, every day is drug take back day. Customers can access the kiosks year-round for disposal of over-the-counter and prescription medications, including controlled substances, during normal pharmacy hours," said Jackie Morse, group vice president of health and pharmacy at Meijer. "National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a reminder of a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs and we'll continue to encourage our customers to take advantage of the program."
Items not accepted as part of the program include needles or other sharps, inhalers, mercury thermometers, medications that contain iodine and illicit drugs.
[Read more: Meijer achieves carbon emissions reduction goal ahead of schedule]