National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, observed every last Saturday of October, encourages the safe and responsible disposal of unused or expired prescription medications. This crucial initiative, led by the DEA, helps combat the opioid crisis and protects communities. Find a local collection site to safely return your old medicines and contribute to public health.
Want to sponsor National Prescription Drug Take Back Day? Learn how
Expected National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Deals
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is not about commercial deals, but rather about community safety and public health. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) coordinates thousands of collection sites nationwide, often in partnership with local law enforcement agencies like your local Sheriff’s Office or Police Department. Many pharmacies, such as CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, also participate by hosting collection events or providing year-round medication disposal options. Community health organizations and prevention coalitions frequently organize local awareness campaigns and provide resources on safe disposal methods. We will update this page with confirmed live collection event details as October 31 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #DrugTakeBackDay. Share visuals of collection sites or educational graphics on safe disposal practices.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #DrugTakeBackDay. Tweet real-time updates on local collection events and share news about drug safety initiatives.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #DrugTakeBackDay. Promote local collection events and engage community members in discussions about safe medication disposal.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Hero
Dr. Nora Volkow
History of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
As new drugs enter the market and medical aid becomes available worldwide, medical waste has risen considerably in recent decades, especially unwanted medicines. It’s not just an issue in affluent countries; most of the homes on the planet have unused medication lying around. And when people don’t know what to do with drugs they don’t want or need anymore, they toss them away using the most convenient option available — usually the trash bag. However, the consequences of such rash disposal of these drugs are incredibly high. Pollution, environmental degradation, and even accidental deaths can occur due to improper medicine disposal.
Unfortunately, even as countries recognize that medicine disposal is a significant issue impacting public health, few nations have a system to deal with this problem. Countries like the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand are among the few countries with initiatives to encourage the proper disposal of drugs.
One of the significant reasons the DEA launched its “take-back” program in the United States was because of the country’s high rate of opioid consumption, which led back to the drugs present in homes that are particularly prone to misuse. These biannual initiatives held in April and October ensure anonymity and are free, mainly to encourage more people to drop off their unused and unwanted prescription medicines at one of the 4,000+ drop-off locations around the country.
Today, these programs are combined with numerous technological breakthroughs — think watches that alert you when you’ve missed a dose, allowing you to carry fewer unwanted medications — to make pharmaceutical disposal simple, responsible, and safe for everyone. Cooperation among all stakeholders, including the government, healthcare experts, concerned groups, and the general public, is a fantastic strategy for ensuring the success of such efforts.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day timeline
To battle the opioid epidemic plaguing the U.S., the DEA launches the first National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day; this event occurs again in October and the subsequent years.
Multiple U.S. politicians declare the current opioid crisis a national public health emergency, recognizing the need to employ more powerful weapons to combat it.
The Smart Medicine Cabinet uses technology to sense medicine usage automatically and the timing of intakes, and even inform people about the drugs patients have taken.
The DEA now accepts vaping devices and cartridges, and medications at all drop-off locations across the U.S.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Local businesses, especially pharmacies and healthcare providers, can play a vital role in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Pharmacies can host official collection sites or promote their year-round disposal kiosks, while clinics can educate patients on the importance of safe medication disposal. Other businesses can support the cause by sharing information on social media, distributing flyers about local collection points, or partnering with community organizations to raise awareness about preventing drug misuse.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day FAQs
When is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day?
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31. This bi-annual event provides a crucial opportunity to safely dispose of unused medications.
How many drugs are collected on Take Back Day?
Since its inception, the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has collected over 18 million pounds of unneeded medications. Each event typically gathers hundreds of thousands of pounds of prescription drugs from communities across the U.S.
Why is safe drug disposal important?
Improper disposal of prescription drugs can lead to accidental poisoning, overdose, and environmental contamination. Take Back Day provides a secure method to prevent these risks by keeping medications out of the wrong hands and water supply.
Where can I dispose of old medications?
On National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, thousands of temporary collection sites are set up at local police departments, sheriff’s offices, and pharmacies. The DEA website provides a search tool to find the nearest location.
How to Observe National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Dispose of unwanted prescription medicines
Dig deep into your medicine cabinet for that unused and unwanted prescription drug. Get rid of it at any local drop-off points provided during these special “take-back” days.
Check out related events
There might even be events related to National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day around you, sponsored by local medical authorities, that provide resources and information about such days and why they are essential. Make sure to attend at least one, and spread the word among friends and family.
Learn more about opioid problems
This disease is not only affecting the U.S.; it is also affecting other countries. Learn everything you can about the reasons and what steps you may take to lessen their consequences on your own.
5 Facts About Prescription Medicines And “Take-Back” Days
More than one day
Aside from the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day events, multiple healthcare facilities and organizations allow people to discard medicines any day of the year at authorized drop-off sites.
The U.S. produces most medical waste
The number is as high as 3.5 million tons annually.
Drugs are disposed of at higher rates
Since its inception, the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day program has removed almost 15.2 million pounds of medication from circulation.
Medical adherence is low globally
Medication adherence, aka taking medicines correctly, is only 50% globally and is lower in developing nations.
Trash it
According to 63% of people surveyed at multiple “take-back” events, the standard medicine disposal method is throwing it in the trash.
Why National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Important
It reduces medical waste
These events help to get unwanted, outdated, and unused medications out of our homes and into proper medical disposal or drug "reuse" programs. They are less likely to end up as medical waste, which is good for the environment.
It prevents the misuse of drugs
Limiting the easy availability of drugs in homes across the United States will reduce accidental use, drug issues, and overdoses. Disposing of such unwanted prescriptions regularly also helps alleviate the drug problem.
It's excellent for the environment
If we didn't have these drop-off locations, the unused medicines would find their way into the toilet bowl or the trash bin and eventually contaminate the soil and water. The right way of collecting and disposing of medicines can prevent them from getting into clean water sources and the environment.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | October 25 | Saturday |
| 2026 | October 31 | Saturday |
Social Media Tips for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Individuals
Creators
Brands