CVS rolls out time-lock safes for controlled substances in Ohio
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Pharmacy has rolled out a new strategy to prevent misuse and abuse of opioids and deter theft. The retailer said that it has begun using time-delay safes for controlled substances in 170 of its locations in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, as well as central and northern Ohio and northern Kentucky.
CVS Pharmacy said the safes deter robberies by delaying the time it takes for employees to be able to open it, requiring a code that triggers a wait time before unlocking the safe. It said all locations with time-delay safe will feature high-visibility signage to prevent on-demand access to controlled substance narcotics.
“Pharmacy robberies are a challenging issue for every pharmacy and we are committed to doing all we can to reduce the number of pharmacy robbery incidents in the Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton markets,” CVS Pharmacy area VP Alisa Ulrey said. “We believe that time delay safes, combined with other security policies and procedures in place at our stores, will help drastically reduce these incidents and ensure that our stores remain a safe environment for shopping and filling prescriptions.”
Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer said, "Drug Abuse continues to be a substantial health and safety risk in Montgomery County. With overdose deaths in Montgomery County being at an historical high, I believe any efforts to control substance narcotic medications that are sought after by robbers, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, is welcome. I applaud CVS Pharmacy for taking this proactive step to combat the opioid epidemic in Montgomery County and across Ohio."
The new time-delay safes are part of CVS Health’s broader effort to combat prescription drug abuse and misuse, which include offering prescription-free access to overdose reversal drug naloxone in 41 states — including Ohio and Kentucky — as of May, offering prescription drug disposal kiosks at 762 locations in 43 states. The company also has grown its Pharmacists Teach Program, which brings CVs pharmacists to schools to discuss the dangers of prescription drug abuse.