April 25, 2025
Leftover prescription drugs in the home that are no longer needed can have serious unintended consequences, which is why the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is partnering with communities nationwide for the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 26.
Leftover prescription drugs in the home that are no longer needed can have serious unintended consequences. That’s why the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is partnering with communities nationwide for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 26.
The national day allows people to drop off expired, unwanted, or unused tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid prescription drugs to local law enforcement, who will dispose of the drugs properly.
According to the DEA, the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs while also educating the general public about medication abuse.
Why National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Matters
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there has been an overall increase in prescription drug misuse over the past two decades. Researchers say the uptick reflects in treatment admissions for prescription drug use disorders and overdose deaths involving prescription drugs, both of which initially rose significantly before holding steady through 2020.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says the three classes of medications most commonly misused are:
- Opioids—usually prescribed to treat pain
- Central nervous system [CNS] depressants (this category includes tranquilizers, sedatives, and hypnotics)—used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders
- Stimulants—most often prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control reveal there were approximately 87,000 drug overdose deaths from October 2023 to September 2024, down from around 114,000 the previous year. This is the fewest overdose deaths in any 12 months since June 2020.
While this national decline is encouraging news, the CDC says overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-44, highlighting the importance of sustained efforts such as National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to ensure this progress continues.Â
There are at least 4,000 collection take-back sites for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Find the nearest one at DEATakeBack.com.
The work is happening year-round as nearly 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and law enforcement locations offer year-round drug disposal options. Click here to find a year-round location.
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