Google Maps is pretty handy when it comes to users searching for restaurants, gas stations, hospitals, pharmacies, and so on. Now in a bid to help fight the opioid crisis, Google has announced that Google Maps and Search will start to list disposal sites where users will be able to safely dispose of their medication or drugs.According to Google, “Today, we’re making it easier for Americans to quickly find disposal locations on Google Maps and Search all year round. A search for queries like “drug drop off near me” or “medication disposal near me” will display permanent disposal locations at your local pharmacy, hospital or government building so you can quickly and safely discard your unneeded medication.”
Google also lists some statistics, such as how in 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services stated that an average of 130 Americans die everyday from drug overdoses, and how 53% of prescription drug abuses starts with drugs that have been obtained from friends or family members.
Google also cites how there seems to be an increase of people searching for ways to get off drugs and how to dispose of drugs safely. So by making it easier for users to safely dispose of their drugs and medication that they no longer use, it will make it harder for abusers to look for drugs to abuse.
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