OLYMPIA, Wash. – Customers at Fred Meyer’s 60 pharmacies across Washington can now receive free locking bags for their opioid prescriptions.
The initiative is part of the Washington State HealthCare Authority’s (HCA) effort to prevent opioid misuse and overdose deaths.
According to a release, Fred Meyer is the first major pharmacy chain to join HCA’s “Lock Up Your Meds” program, which supplies free medication locking devices to patients with opioid prescriptions.
“We’re proud to participate in this program and provide free locking bags to patients with opioid prescriptions—empowering safer communities through compassionate care and responsible pharmacy practice,” Kayla Hensley, division health leader at Fred Meyer, said.
Since May, Fred Meyer has distributed 713 locking bags and secured 485 pledges from customers, the release said.
In Washington, opioids are involved in approximately 82% of overdose deaths, according to 2023 data from the Washington Department of Health.
