Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day – How to safely dispose of unneeded medications

You can safely dispose of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications this Saturday during the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and help prevent drug misuse and abuse.

The DEA is once again partnering with numerous law enforcement agencies and organizations across the country to help Americans safely dispose of unneeded medications.  

The backstory:

The DEA’s biannual Take-Back Day is typically held on the last Saturday in April and October, but many law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. maintain year-round collection receptacles for people to safely dispose of prescription drugs in accordance with DEA regulations.  

By the numbers:

In October, the DEA partnered with 4,263 law enforcement agencies nationwide and collected 571,054 pounds (286 tons) of medications.  Since the program started, the DEA says 20,391.815 pounds (10,196 tons) of medications have been collected.

Visit Take Back Day to find a collection site near where you live.