Walgreens Expands #ItEndsWithUs Campaign to Educate Texas Teens on Opioid Awareness

Today, Walgreens, a provider of trusted care in communities since 1901, announces its “#ItEndsWithUs” campaign is coming to Dallas to educate local teens on the opioid epidemic.

As part of We Day Texas at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, thousands of local students will hear real stories of addiction and how Walgreens is taking action to combat the nation’s opioid epidemic. The #ItEndsWithUs campaign objective is to provide teens with resources and positive steps they can take in their community, which are all available at the #ItEndsWithUs hub at www.walgreens.com/itendswithus.

The campaign will feature actor Brandon Larracuente from the Netflix popular series “13 Reasons Why” and “Bloodline.” Larracuente, who lost a close friend to opioid addiction, will speak via video message to introduce to a local Texan, Adelle Buede, who overcame her addiction and is now working with Walgreens to raise awareness.

“I’m proud to work with Walgreens to raise awareness and educate teens on opioid misuse and abuse,” said Adelle Buede, Addiction Campuses Treatment Specialist. “Through their #ItEndsWithUs campaign, teens can find tools and resources to take action in their community. Together, with Walgreens, we can take the first step to end the opioid epidemic.”

Buede will speak about Walgreens safe medication disposal program that began in 2016. Safe medication disposal kiosks allow individuals to safely and conveniently dispose of their unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, including controlled substances and over-the-counter medications, year-round at no cost. Kiosks are available in more than 50 Walgreens pharmacies in Texas during regular pharmacy hours and offer one of the best ways to ensure medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused by someone else. Most people who misuse prescription drugs first obtain them from a family member or friend, often from a home medicine cabinet.

The #ItEndsWithUs campaign launches at a time when the national opioid crisis has escalated into an epidemic of addiction and overdose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths among 15-to-19-year-olds spiked more than 19 percent between 2014 and 2015. The CDC also found that nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.

Walgreens will continue to raise awareness around the opioid epidemic at upcoming WE Day events in 2018, with the help of Larracuente engaging teens across the country.

In Dallas County, at least 1,928 people have died of opioid or heroin overdoses since 2011, according to the Dallas Morning News review of records. The #ItEndsWithUs campaign is part of Walgreens overall efforts to address the opioid epidemic and raise awareness of its impact in American communities.

As part of its comprehensive national plan to combat drug abuse, Walgreens has made naloxone, a lifesaving opioid antidote, available without a prescription in all of its 700 pharmacies in Texas, in accordance with state pharmacy regulations. Naloxone 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.

Walgreens has also installed safe medication disposal kiosks in 600 of its pharmacies across 45 states and is in the process of expanding its program to an additional 900 Walgreens drugstores across the country. When the expansion is complete, safe medication disposal kiosks will be available in 1,500 Walgreens locations nationwide.

Following WE Day Texas, Walgreens will continue to create awareness on the opioid epidemic at WE Days in Los Angeles on April 19, 2018; Chicago on April 25, 2018; and Seattle on May 3, 2018. These new markets follow the campaign’s launch at WE Day UN in at Madison Square Garden in September 2017.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (walgreens.com), a provider of trusted care in communities since 1901, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,100 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

*CDC Fighting Opioid Overdose, https://www.cdc.gov/features/fighting-opioid-overdose/index.html

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