Centralia, Chehalis Pharmacy partners with Washington Health Care Authority to prevent opioid misuse
May 8-Two Lewis County pharmacies are providing free locking bags to encourage patients to secure opioid prescriptions and help prevent misuse and accidental overdose.
Chehalis Pharmacy and Centralia Pharmacy are among 82 pharmacies statewide participating in Washington's Pharmacy Safe Storage Program, part of the Washington State Health Care Authority's (HCA) Starts With One opioid misuse prevention campaign, a news release from the pharmacies stated.
About four in 10 people who misuse pain relievers, including prescription opioids, get them from a friend or family member, according to the release. Using a locking bag to store prescriptions can help prevent theft of medications in a patient's home or while traveling. Safe storage also protects young children from accidental ingestion and poisoning.
Locking up medications is a simple way to help prevent opioid misuse and overdose. Yet, a 2025 HCA study found that only 47% of Washingtonians surveyed report locking up their prescription opioids.
The Pharmacy Safe Storage Program aims to close that gap.
"We're here to build lifelong relationships with the people we serve and that includes helping keep their homes and families safe," Courtney Quinby, pharmacist and owner of both Chehalis Pharmacy and Centralia Pharmacy, said in the release. "Being part of this program allows us to take that commitment one step further by providing tools that make safe medication use simple and accessible."
Along with providing a locking bag, pharmacists talk with patients about the importance of safe storage and ask them to personally commit to locking up their opioid prescription. This approach is based on behavior change research that shows people who make a commitment to take a specific action are significantly more likely to follow through.
"Preventing opioid misuse starts with reducing access to unused or unsecured medications," said Teesha Kirschbaum, director of HCA's Behavioral Health and Recovery. "Pharmacists are highly trusted, accessible health care providers, and this program helps turn everyday interactions into meaningful moments of prevention."
The annual Pharmacy Safe Storage Program launched in March and will run through June, while supplies last. In the first month of this year's program, participating pharmacies have distributed a combined 703 locking bags, held 754 conversations about opioid safe storage and secured 427 commitments from patients to lock up medications, according to the release.
To learn more about the Starts With One campaign, visit GetTheFactsRX.com.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.