CINCINNATI and DUBLIN, Ohio, Oct. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) are uniting to host drug take-back events at more than 200 Kroger Family of Pharmacies locations from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 27, 2018.

These events, part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, provide a safe, convenient and anonymous way to dispose of unused or expired medications. Drug take-back events also provide the opportunity to raise awareness of the opioid epidemic and the importance of using medications safely. During the events, Kroger pharmacy associates will provide participants with educational resources around prescription drug misuse.

Both companies care deeply about the devastation prescription drug misuse has caused and are committed to working together as well as with other partners to help address the issue.

"Kroger is committed to partnering with our associates, customers, communities and companies like Cardinal Health to help solve the opioid epidemic," said Colleen Lindholz, president of the Kroger Pharmacy and The Little Clinic. "The drug take-back events are one part of our comprehensive commitment, which includes offering naloxone—the life-saving medication—at our 2,300 pharmacy locations across the country to combat the health crisis."

"Drug take-back events are a key component of our Generation Rx program, which is designed to teach people of all ages about using medications safely," said Jessie Cannon, Vice President of Community Relations at Cardinal Health. "We created Generation Rx in partnership with the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy nearly a decade ago and have reached more than a million children, young people and adults with its critical resources and messages. Under the umbrella of Generation Rx and our Opioid Action Program, we are pleased to continue the partnership with Kroger around these community-based take-back events."

Independent public health experts agree that properly disposing of prescription medications is essential to the fight against the opioid epidemic. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 53 percent of those who misused prescription pain relievers obtained them from a friend or relative.1 Only about 11 percent of unused medication is disposed of properly, according to the Geisinger Center for Health Research.2 Further, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommendations include the need for improved consumer access to convenient and year-round drug take-back opportunities to reduce the amount of unused medications available for misuse.3

Cardinal Health and Kroger have worked together to sponsor community drug take-back events for several years. In April 2018, they co-hosted more than 100 events across 26 states, where more than 16,000 pounds of unused or expired medications were collected.

To view Kroger and Cardinal Health's 2018 drug take-back locations, visit Kroger.com/takebackday or the respective store banner's website.

About Kroger At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Cardinal Health Cardinal Health, Inc. is a global, integrated healthcare services and products company, providing customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and physician offices worldwide. The company provides clinically proven medical products, pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. To help combat prescription drug abuse, the company and its education partners created Generation Rx, a national drug education and awareness program. Backed by nearly 100 years of experience, with approximately 50,000 employees in nearly 46 countries, Cardinal Health ranks #14 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit cardinalhealth.com, follow @CardinalHealth on Twitter, @cardinalhealthwings on Facebook and connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/cardinal-health.

About Cardinal Health's Opioid Action Program In 2017, Cardinal Health launched the Opioid Action Program, a pilot program that builds on the work of aimed at helping communities across the Appalachian region, including in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. The program delivers much needed front-line tools to help prevent opioid abuse and support communities, schools and first responders. The Opioid Action Program builds on Generation Rx. Learn more at www.cardinalhealth.com/opioidactionprogram.

About Generation RxGeneration Rx works to end prescription drug misuse through prevention education, drug take back, best practices in pain management and community collaborations. The program was created through a partnership with the Cardinal Health Foundation and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. Since 2009, more than one million people across the country have been reached with Generation Rx messages. To learn more, visit www.GenerationRx.org.

1 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Available online at: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-FFR1-2016/NSDUH-FFR1-2016.pdf. 2 Geisinger Center Health Research. Available online at: https://www.geisinger.org/about-geisinger/news-and-media/news-releases/2017/03/24/18/30/study-highlights-most-common-medications-left-unused-by-patients 3 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Pain Management and the Opioid Epidemic: Balancing Societal and Individual Benefits and Risks of Prescription Opioid Use. Available online at: https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24781/pain-management-and-the-opioid-epidemic-balancing-societal-and-individual

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.