The battle against the opioid epidemic is raging on in Massachusetts, where Gov. Charlie Baker is continuing to take measures against over-prescription.
Baker and others announced Friday that the CVS Medication Disposal Program would be expanded.
"For the first time, literally in over a decade, prescriptions went down in Massachusetts in 2017 by about 25 percent, and deaths went down by about 10 percent," said Baker.
He says programs like this are making forward progress, but the epidemic remains.
"Still, five or six people a day die here in the commonwealth of an opioid overdose," he said. "We have a long way to go."
Visitors will be able to see medication disposal boxes inside CVS pharmacies. The first box put in place is at the CVS on Fellsway in Medford.
People are now able to walk in and drop off any of your used or unused prescriptions.
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"These boxes have been made available in police departments, and that's all well and should continue, but in an effort to meet people where they are, this makes it a lot easier," said Attorney General Maura Healey.
The boxes are inside CVS locations with 24-hour pharmacies.
"In Massachusetts, in the coming months, we will add 42 new in-store collection units to the nearly 40 units we've already donated to police departments across the state," said Thomas Moriarty, the executive director of CVS Health.
CVS will also contribute $150,000 to programs in Massachusetts that address and prevent opioid abuse.
"These funds will help Boston Medical Center, Mattapan Community Health Center and the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center," Moriarty said.
