More than 571,000 pounds of unwanted medications are now out of homes and safely disposed of following the latest National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
The Drug Enforcement Administration partnered with 4,263 law enforcement agencies nationwide for the Oct. 25 event, which featured 4,317 collection sites across the country. In total, the initiative removed 571,054 pounds of unneeded and expired medications from home medicine cabinets — preventing potential misuse before it starts.
Since launching in 2010, the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has collected nearly 20.4 million pounds — more than 10,000 tons — of medications. The effort aims to prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce accidental overdoses and poisonings.
For those who missed this year’s event, safe medication disposal is available year-round. Nearly 16,500 pharmacies, hospitals, businesses, and police departments across the U.S. offer permanent drop boxes. A full list of locations can be found on the DEA’s “Every Day is Take Back Day” webpage.
Accepted items include tablets, capsules, patches and other solid prescription drugs. Liquids must be sealed in their original containers, and vaping devices are accepted if lithium batteries are removed. Syringes, sharps, and illicit substances are not accepted.
