Washington initiative aimed at fighting opioid epidemic
Program focuses on locking bags, take-back kiosks By Arielle Dreher, The Spokesman-Review
Published: July 10, 2021, 9:19pm
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After a year of increasing drug-overdose deaths, Washington state pharmacies are working with patients to lock up their prescriptions and bring back leftover medication they don’t need in a effort to combat opioid misuse.
The Health Care Authority contracted with 21 pharmacies in northwest Washington in a pilot program to give out locking medication bags to patients this year.
“We know that about 75 percent of all opioid misuse starts if somebody takes a prescription that wasn’t prescribed to them,” said Jessica Blose, who leads the state opioid response at the Health Care Authority.
Kirk Heinz and his son Andrew organized numerous vaccine clinics and even administered vaccines in Puyallup and Tacoma. Now, they're being recognized for their work.
Help ID terrifying takeover-style pharmacy robbers who tied-up workers, took off masks outside article
WANTED IN PUYALLUP - Puyallup Police are hoping you can help identify a pair of armed pharmacy robbers who took off their masks after tying-up and terrifying three workers.
They entered ‘Kirk s Pharmacy’ at the corner of S. Meridian and 7th Ave. SW at 11am on December 5th and pulled a takeover-style robbery. They tied up the three employees in the business and then fled the area. The employees were unharmed and were able to release themselves, or get themselves untied and contact police, said Puyallup Police Capt. Dan Pashon.