CINCINNATI, Oct. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and the Cardinal Health Foundation today announced the organizations are again partnering to host drug take back events at 235 Kroger family of pharmacies locations across 25 states from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (local time) on Saturday, October 26—the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's 18th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

"Kroger is committed to being a part of the solution to combat America's opioid and prescription drug misuse epidemic. Our semi-annual drug take back event – hosted in partnership with the Cardinal Health Foundation – is just one more way Kroger is addressing the crisis at both a grassroots level and national scale and helping people live healthier lives," said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. "According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, unused or expired prescription drugs have become a public safety issue in the U.S., leading to accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose. The public drug take back events provide individuals with safe, convenient and anonymous locations to properly dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs within their local communities."

During the events, local law enforcement officers will be on site to accept unused or expired prescription drugs and electronic vaping devices and cartridges. Signage in parking lots will direct participants to drop-off areas, where Kroger pharmacy associates will distribute free DisposeRx® at-home medication disposal packets and share Generation Rx materials. Generation Rx, an evidence-informed prevention education program created a decade ago through a partnership between the Cardinal Health Foundation and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, offers age-appropriate resources to educate everyone, at any age, about using medications safely.

"Proper disposal of unused prescription medication helps to keep drugs out of the wrong hands," said Jessie Cannon, Cardinal Health's Vice President of Community Relations. "Safe disposal is one of the key medication safety messages of our Generation Rx program—and the Cardinal Health Foundation is pleased to again join Kroger in hosting drug take back events."

In addition to the events, Kroger pharmacists are available every day to educate customers about proper medication use and disposal. Kroger pharmacies also offer naloxone – the life-saving medication that helps rapidly reverse opioid overdose – and free DisposeRx® at-home disposal packets for customers filling qualifying medications.

The Cardinal Health Foundation has partnered with Kroger in hosting drug take back events across America for several years. In April 2019, events at more than 200 Kroger locations collected 25,453 pounds of unused prescription drugs for safe disposal.

To view the list of Kroger and Cardinal Health Foundation's participating drug take back locations, visit Kroger.com.

About The Kroger Co. At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,759 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 the Cardinal Health FoundationThe Cardinal Health Foundation is a private charitable organization created to help build healthier, more equitable communities, where all people have the opportunity to live healthy lives and share their perspectives and experiences – communities where equity, diversity and inclusion thrive.

The Foundation provides strategic investments to improve access to quality physical and behavioral healthcare and supports nonprofit partners who help impact social determinants of health in underserved populations. We also work to fight prescription drug misuse through our support of Generation Rx, a national prescription medication education program created over a decade ago with The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. And, through the Cardinal Health Opioid Action Program, we support many other efforts to reduce misuse, including collaboratives aimed at reduced opioid prescribing and increased public awareness. Finally, we support our employees' strong commitment to giving back through volunteer service and donations. Each year, $2 million of the Foundation's giving matches employee donations and supports volunteer service.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.