COLUMBUS (WCMH) — NBC4, Cardinal Health, Kroger and West-Ward Pharmaceuticals are working to fight the prescription drug abuse epidemic, by once again hosting Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 29 from 10:00am until 2:00pm.
In the past month more than 6 million Americans, ages 12 and older, have taken a prescription drug for non-medical reasons. The risk of prescription drug abuse can be reduced when consumers remove unused and expired medications from their homes and store the remainder safely. The next drug disposal event will be held at the following Kroger locations:
| Kroger – Hilliard | Kroger – Westerville | Kroger – Mt. Gilead |
| 4656 Cemetery Road | 55 West Schrock Road | 555 W. Marion Rd. |
| Hilliard, Ohio 43026 | Westerville, Ohio 43081 | Mt. Gilead, Ohio 43338 |
| Kroger – Gahanna | Kroger – Columbus | Kroger – Columbus |
| 300 South Hamilton Road | 1375 Chambers Road | 2090 Crown Plaza |
| Gahanna, Ohio 43230 | Columbus, Ohio 43212 | Columbus, Ohio 43220 |
| Kroger – Columbus | Kroger – Canal Winchester | Kroger – Powell |
| 3637 South High Street | 6095 Gender Road | 3975 West Powell Road |
| Columbus, Ohio 43207 | Canal Winchester, Ohio 43110 | Powell, Ohio 43065
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| Kroger – Chillicothe | ||
| 887 North Bridge St. | ||
| Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 |
Consumers can drive through the Kroger parking lot and drop off their medications to the Franklin County, Delaware County, Morrow County and Ross County sheriff deputies. They will accept all unused and expired medications, including pills, liquids, gels, and patches. Medications will not be accepted in the store or by anyone other than a sheriff deputy.
Since the Prevent Teen Prescription Drug Abuse awareness campaign kicked off in 2011, officers have disposed of 9 tons of drugs collected at these events.