Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Doug Reed, President of Phoenix House Texas, joined Walgreens to encourage residents in the Dallas / Fort Worth area to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, an initiative to counter prescription drug abuse sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). On Saturday, April 30, more than twenty Walgreens stores in the Dallas / Fort Worth area will partner with local law enforcement to serve as take-back sites for unused or unwanted prescription drugs in recognition of this annual event.

Sen. Cornyn introduced legislation in 2010 to authorize the DEA the flexibility they need to build out drug take-back programs across the country and enable drug take-backs every day at more convenient locations, such as local pharmacies, and without law enforcement presence. By providing a convenient, legal, and safe option for disposal, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 is helping to reduce the risk of prescription drug abuse and environmental problems caused by improper disposal of controlled substances.

Walgreens also announced that select stores across Texas will soon install new safe medication disposal kiosks to help reduce the misuse of medications and the rise in overdose deaths. The kiosks will provide a year-round way for Texans to safely and conveniently dispose of their unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, including controlled substances and over-the-counter medications, at no cost. The program is part of a comprehensive national plan Walgreens announced earlier this year to address key contributors to the drug abuse crisis.

“Walgreens strongly supports National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and is proud to partner with the DEA and local law enforcement to help people safely dispose of medicines that could be susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse,” said Frank Koen, Regional Healthcare Director at Walgreens. “The new safe medication disposal kiosks that will be installed in select Walgreens pharmacies around Texas will help address this vital public safety and public health issue, year-round.”

Walgreens is also working to make naloxone, a potentially lifesaving opioid antidote, available without requiring a prescription from an individual’s physician at Texas pharmacies, in accordance with state regulations. The medication is currently available with a prescription in Texas and can be used in the event of an overdose to reverse the effects of heroin or other opioid drugs, and is administered by injection or nasal spray.

In February, Walgreens announced plans to make naloxone available without a prescription in 35 states and Washington D.C. in accordance with each state’s pharmacy regulations. In states where a prescription is required, Walgreens is available and eager to work with regulators to help update rules to allow for dispensing of naloxone without a prescription.

When implementation of the program is complete, naloxone will be available without a prescription in more than 5,800 of Walgreens nearly 8,200 stores.

The installation of safe medication disposal kiosks in Texas is part of a nationwide effort and is expected to be completed at more than 500 Walgreens locations later this year. The kiosks at Walgreens pharmacies will be available during regular pharmacy hours (24 hours a day at most of these locations) and will offer one of the best ways to ensure medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused by someone else.

Drug abuse continues to be a public health and safety risk. More Americans die every day from drug overdoses than from motor vehicle crashes, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. About 2,600 Texans died following drug overdoses in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That same year, the CDC reported a national total of 47,055 drug overdose deaths, which include death from prescription and illicit drugs. That is a 6.5 percent increase from 2013 and a 140 percent increase since 2000.

Walgreens will host law enforcement Drug Take Back events at the following locations throughout the Dallas / Fort Worth area:

Arlington -- 440 W. Green Oaks Blvd.

Cedar Hill -- 501 E. Beltline Road

Dallas -- 5001 Ross Ave.; 3732 W. Northwest Hwy.; 11403 E. Northwest Hwy.; 4702 N. Jim Miller Road; 104 Westmoreland; 1060 W. Camp Wisdom Road; 18207 Midway Road

Fort Worth -- 4300 E. Lancaster St.; 3809 East Belknap St.; 2400 Jacksboro Hwy.; 3100 McCart Ave.; 6205 Westcreek Drive; 6346 Camp Bowie Blvd.; 9625 White Settlement Road; 8600 Hulen St.; 4324 Golden Triangle

Hudson Oaks -- 130 N. Oakridge Drive

Irving -- 1330 N. Belt Line Road; 5310 N. MacArthur Road

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More than 8 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,173 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens digital business includes Walgreens.com, drugstore.com, Beauty.com, SkinStore.com and VisionDirect.com. Walgreens also manages more than 400 Healthcare Clinic and provider practice locations around the country.