GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – As an effort to help fight the opioid crisis, a drug store chain has installed drug disposal boxes.
CVS Pharmacy says they are committed to helping people on their path to better health.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel was in Green Bay Friday to unveil the box at the West Mason Street location.
“We know that over 70 percent of the time when people start abusing painkillers they didn’t get them from a doctor or a drug trafficker on the street, they got it from a family member or a friend and that’s why these efforts and drug take-backs are so important,” said Schimel.
Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith says it is the way people can do the right thing without fear.
“About every 2 weeks here in Green Bay we have an incident with Narcan where we have to save someone’s life from overdosing with opioids,” said Smith. “This gives people another opportunity to give people in this community to bring drugs to the CVS Pharmacy. Obviously, no questions asked, completely anonymous and the police will never follow up with what people put in there,” he said.
The boxes offer people a safe and environmentally-friendly way to dispose of unwanted medications. It also prevents others from improperly obtaining them and becoming addicted.
In addition to its Green Bay location, CVS Health has added collection boxes at its stores in Appleton, Barron, Eau Claire, and Milwaukee.
In addition to the ones inside its stores, CVS Health has donated 41 drug collection boxes to law enforcement agencies across the state.
- Click here to see a list of permanent drug disposal box locations
