DEA Announces April 24, 2021 Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announces support of DEA's 11^th Annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day to be held on April 24, 2021. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a bi-annual event that aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Per new, official CDC numbers, opioid overdose deaths have increased during the pandemic (May 2019-May 2020). Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. DEA will continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges at any of its drop off locations, as long as the lithium batteries are removed.

In addition to DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 authorized collectors at any time throughout the year. For more information, visit: https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1.

Participating in the next DEA Take Back Day on Saturday, April 24, simply means cleaning out your medicine cabinet or anywhere you keep unused, unwanted or expired medications and dropping them off at your nearest collection site. You can learn more about the event and find a collection site at takebackday.dea.gov or call 800-882-9539.