Walmart in Novi will be among 1,000 stores across the country and among 17 in Michigan to have a prescription drug disposal kiosk installed at its pharmacy this May.

According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study found that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from a home medicine cabinet.  By adding in-store disposal kiosks, the company hopes to help its customers prevent prescription drug misuse and abuse in their own homes and communities.

This is just one step in our ongoing effort to give customers access to a range of safe disposal options," said Erik Hingst, Walmart Public Affairs & Government Relations - Michigan, Ohio & West Virginia. "We will continue to collaborate with the DEA and local law enforcement partners on the twice-annual Take Back Day medication collection events. Additionally, we will continue the practice we started in early 2018 when we became the first pharmacy chain to offer customers a free at-home safe disposal solution."

For those who fill prescriptions for opioid medications, the company offers an at-home opioid disposal product, DisposeRx, at no cost. Patients filling any new opioid prescription receive a free DisposeRx packet, and patients with chronic prescriptions are offered a free packet every six months. Existing Walmart pharmacy patients can also receive a free DisposeRx packet at any time upon request.