National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days: What to Expect

Every year, millions of unused or expired prescription drugs sit in bathroom cabinets, kitchen drawers, and medicine chests across the U.S. Many people don’t know what to do with them-flushing them down the toilet, tossing them in the trash, or just leaving them there. But those habits aren’t just messy; they’re dangerous. Medications can end up in water supplies, get into the hands of kids or teens, or be stolen and misused. That’s why the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day exists: to give people a simple, safe, and free way to get rid of drugs they no longer need.

When and Where Does It Happen?

The event runs twice a year-once in April and once in October. The next one is on October 25, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. It’s not a one-day wonder; it’s a coordinated national effort. Over 4,500 collection sites will be open that day, spread across police stations, hospitals, pharmacies, and community centers. You don’t need an appointment. You don’t need to show ID. You just show up with your old meds and drop them off.

These sites are run by local law enforcement, not volunteers. That means your drop-off is secure, anonymous, and legally handled. The DEA works with nearly 4,500 agencies to make this happen. In April 2025 alone, Americans dropped off over 620,000 pounds of unused medications. That’s more than 310 tons. Since 2010, the program has collected nearly 10 million pounds total. That’s a lot of pills kept out of the wrong hands.

What Can You Drop Off?

Not everything goes in the bin. Here’s what’s accepted:

• Pills and capsules (even if the bottle is empty)
• Patches (like fentanyl or nicotine patches-just leave them in their original packaging)
• Liquid medications (if they’re sealed in their original containers)
• Suppositories and creams in sealed containers

Here’s what you can’t drop off:

• Needles, syringes, or sharps (these require special disposal)
• Illicit drugs like cocaine or heroin
• Over-the-counter meds (unless they’re part of a prescription combo pack)
• Thermometers, inhalers, or aerosols

If you’re unsure, check the DEA’s website or call your local site ahead of time. For liquids, make sure the container is tightly sealed so it doesn’t leak. No need to remove labels-your privacy is protected. The staff won’t ask who you are or what the meds were for. They just collect, catalog, and safely destroy everything.

Why This Matters

Prescription drug misuse is still a huge problem. In 2024, over 8 million Americans aged 12 and up misused painkillers. Most of them got them from family or friends’ medicine cabinets. That’s not a statistic-it’s your neighbor, your cousin, your kid’s friend. When someone finds an old opioid pill in a drawer, it’s not just a pill. It’s a risk. A single dose can be deadly for someone who’s never taken it before.

Proper disposal reduces that risk. It also protects the environment. Flushing meds or throwing them in the trash can lead to contamination in soil and water. The DEA doesn’t burn or bury the drugs-they’re incinerated under strict federal standards. That means no toxins leaching into groundwater. No pills washing into rivers. Just safe, permanent destruction.

What to Expect When You Show Up

You walk in. You see a table or a bin, usually near the front of a police station or pharmacy. A uniformed officer or trained staff member is there to help. You hand over your bag of old meds. They put it in a sealed collection bin. That’s it. It takes less than two minutes. No forms. No questions. No judgment.

Some sites offer extra help. At places like University Hospitals in Ohio, they pair the drop-off with short educational talks-how to read labels, how to store meds safely, how to talk to teens about drug use. Those sites see up to 37% more participation. If you’re worried about a family member’s medication use, this is a quiet, low-pressure way to start the conversation.

What If You Miss the Day?

You don’t have to wait six months. There are over 14,000 permanent drug disposal kiosks across the country-mostly in pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, and some hospitals. These kiosks are locked, monitored, and available year-round. You can drop off your meds any time, even on a Sunday. The DEA’s “Dispose My Meds” app helps you find the nearest one. Just type in your zip code and it shows you the closest options.

Still, the Take-Back Day is unique. It’s the only time you can drop off meds at a police station without any paperwork. It’s also the only time you’ll see so many people doing the same thing at once. It normalizes safe disposal. It reminds people: this isn’t shameful. It’s responsible.

Why Some People Don’t Participate

Not everyone knows about the event. In a 2024 survey, nearly 30% of people said they didn’t hear about it until after the date had passed. Rural areas have fewer sites-sometimes only one per 50,000 people. That’s a long drive for someone without a car. Others worry about privacy. They fear someone will know what meds they took. But that’s not how it works. The process is designed to protect you.

Another issue: people don’t realize how much they have. Many keep old prescriptions “just in case.” But most of those drugs are outdated, ineffective, or no longer needed. A 2024 study found that 75% of Americans still dispose of meds improperly. That’s the real problem-not the event, but the habit.

What’s Next for the Program

The DEA is expanding. In 2025, they’re rolling out 120 mobile collection units to reach rural communities that don’t have nearby sites. They’re also testing a new feature: when you fill a prescription, your doctor’s electronic system might send you a reminder to dispose of old meds. That’s already being tested in 12 hospital networks.

And more pharmacies are installing permanent drop boxes. CVS and Walgreens now have over 1,200 kiosks open 24/7. That’s a big step toward making safe disposal the default, not the exception.

The funding is secure. Congress keeps approving $2.4 million a year to keep the program running. And it’s working. Opioid overdose deaths dropped 27% between 2020 and 2024, in part because fewer pills are floating around homes. It’s not the whole solution-but it’s one of the clearest, most effective steps we’ve taken.

How to Prepare

Before October 25:

• Check your medicine cabinet. Pull out anything expired, unused, or no longer needed.
• Keep pills in their original bottles if possible. If not, just put them in a sealed bag.
• Don’t remove labels-your privacy is protected.
• Find your nearest drop-off site at takebackday.dea.gov or use the “Dispose My Meds” app.
• Bring the meds in a bag or box. No need to sort them.

On the day:

• Go between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time.
• Be ready to hand over your meds and walk away.
• If you’re unsure about something, ask the staff. They’ve seen it all.

It’s simple. It’s safe. And it saves lives.