DETROIT (WWJ) - Meijer wants to help consumers dispose of unused medicine so it doesn't get in the wrong hands.
Often when people abuse prescription drugs, they get them from the medicine cabinets of family and friends. To avoid this, Meijer is installing secure in-store kiosks where you can safely dispose of unused or expired prescription medicines. This includes opioids, controlled substances and even over the counter pills.
The easily identifiable kiosks will be located in the pharmacy area in all 241 Meijer supercenters across the Midwest. Customers can use the kiosks free of charge during pharmacy hours. Meijer pharmacists will then work with InMar Rx Returns to properly document, transport and dispose of medications.
"The Meijer Drug Take-Back Program allows our customers to remove the risk of an unforeseen accident occurring with expired or unused medications, while enabling them to properly dispose prescription drugs and reducing the possibility of creating a public health hazard," Jason Beauch, Vice President of Meijer Pharmacy, said in a statement.
In 2016, more than 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs, according to a National Survey by the DEA.