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National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Is Oct. 24

Medications can be safely discarded at about 4,400 locations nationwide

3-minute read

Aaron Kassraie

Updated October 14, 2026

En español

Updated October 14, 2026

woman's hand taking a prescription bottle out of a medicine cabinet with a number of prescriptions bottles in it

Tetra Images / Getty Images

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will host its National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at more than 4,400 locations nationwide.

During this time, anyone may anonymously dispose of old, unwanted or expired medications at a collection site. (Search for a nearby site here.)

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“The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat,” the DEA said in a statement. “While the community does its part to turn in unneeded medications and remove them from potential harm, we are doing our part to further reduce drug-related violence.”

Held twice a year, this is the 31st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day since the program’s inception in 2010. Over that time, more than 19 million pounds of drugs have been removed from circulation.

When medications are no longer needed and taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision, they can be as dangerous as street drugs or be a gateway to addiction. Nonmedical use of prescription drugs ranks second to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America, according to the DEA.

Because older adults often take multiple prescription medications, they may be more likely to have unused drugs on hand. From 2017 to 2020, more than 4 in 10 adults ages 65 and older reported using five or more prescription medications in the previous 30 days, according to a 2024 report in JAMA. To help reduce the risks associated with keeping old medications around, AARP offers guidance on safely disposing of them.

What types of drugs can be discarded?

Any tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs are accepted, along with vaping devices and cartridges if the lithium batteries are removed. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharp items and illicit drugs are not accepted.

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For those who have prescription drugs they would like to dispose of on other days throughout the year, there are more than 13,000 locations where medications can be discarded safely, including pharmacies, hospitals and police stations. Some of them are taking part in this year’s Take Back Day. The public also has the option to drop off unwanted medications at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center. Check your local VA health facility for more information.

For people who don’t live near a participating location, the DEA recommends taking unwanted medications out of their bottles, mixing them with something unappealing such as used cat litter or coffee grounds, and sealing it all in a bag or disposable container before throwing it in the trash.

For more information on proper drug disposal, visit the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) page of frequently asked questions.

Drug overdoses by the numbers

In 2025, there were 69,973 drug overdose deaths in the United States — a decrease of almost 14 percent from the year before. Even so, a majority of those who misuse prescription drugs obtain them from a family member or friend. Teens often take them from medicine cabinets in the homes of friends and family members, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English. 

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