ShopRite Pharmacy bringing 'Prescription Drug Safety' program to N.J. schools

ShopRite Pharmacy is taking prescription drug safety to New Jersey high schools. The Keasbey, N.J.-based supermarket chain is partnering with EVERFI, an education technology innovator, on a new educational initiative to empower New Jersey high school students with the skills to make safe and healthy decisions about prescription medications and understand the dangers of misusing these drugs. The program will be available this fall in 30 high schools at in five New Jersey counties at no cost to the schools.

Prescription drug abuse continues to tighten its grip on the country and the state, with New Jersey experiencing more than 1,000 opioid related deaths so far this year, according to a press release issued by ShopRite, which operates more than 270 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland.

“ShopRite Pharmacy is proud to bring critical prevention education to high school students so they can gain awareness and build the skills they need to protect themselves and prevent abuse before it occurs," said Karen Meleta, spokesperson for ShopRite, in a press release.

The "Prescription Drug Safety" program uses an evidence-based, public health approach to empower high school students with the skills and knowledge they need to make safe and healthy decisions about prescription drugs. Through interactive scenarios and self-guided activities, students learn the facts about drugs, how to properly use and dispose of them, and how to step in when faced with a situation involving misuse. The course is aligned with the Centers for Disease Control's National Health Education Standards and state academic standards.

"As community pharmacists, we are close to our patients and recognize that education and prevention are the keys to preventing prescription drug misuse and abuse,” said Jeffrey Mondelli, vice president of pharmacy for ShopRite, in a statement. “We also know that today’s high school students face unique challenges, and this knowledge is critical for them to have. Our support of this new program is part of our ongoing commitment to combatting the opioid epidemic in the communities our stores serve through targeted, preventive educational outreach.”

The digital prescription drug abuse prevention course is the flagship initiative of the Prescription Drug Safety Network, the nation's first public-private initiative to combat prescription drug abuse by providing prevention education to schools across the U.S.