Walgreens brings safe medication disposal kiosks to Missouri
Missouri is the 46th state to get Walgreens medication disposal kiosks.
However, Walgreens is not the first business to start such a program. Several drug take-back programs started around the nation a few years ago, said Executive Director Carmen Catizone of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
Catizone said a major way opioids get abused is when people have excess medication sitting in medicine cabinets or around the house and take-back programs help get them off the street.
People can safely get rid of unwanted, unused or expired medications, prescriptions and controlled substances by dropping them off, free of charge.
Spokesperson Phil Caruso said Walgreens has installed 14 initial kiosks in Missouri, but there are no immediate plans to install more.
“We will observe and see how consumers respond to the program,” he said. “We are encouraged by what we see in other states.”
The drug take back initiative aims to reduce the misuse of medications and the rise in overdose deaths.
Walgreens is working with a DEA-authorized vendor to safely dispose of the medications dropped in the kiosks. Caruso said this ensures medications do not wind up in a landfill or as a hazard to the waterways.
Walgreens began the program in 2016 and has collected and safely disposed of 400 tons of unwanted medications.
Find a list of Walgreens medication disposal kiosks below:
Arnold – 3937 Vogel Road
Bridgeton – 12345 Saint Charles Rock Road
Cape Girardeau – 1 S. Kingshighway Street
Jefferson City – 2002 Missouri Blvd.
Kansas City – 3845 Broadway Street; 2630 NE Vivion Road
Kirkwood – 441 N. Kirkwood Road
Richmond Heights – 6733 Clayton Road
Saint Louis – 3920 Hampton Ave.; 12098 Lusher Road
Springfield – 2640 E. Sunshine Street; 2951 S. Campbell Ave.
Washington – 890 Washington Corners
Wentzville – 1993 Wentzville Parkway
