April 29 Is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

You can safely dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs on Saturday, April 29.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and local agencies are holding Take Back Day events across the country. Drop off your pills or patches between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous, but take note: Needles, sharps and liquids will not be accepted.

Last fall, more than 730,000 pounds of prescription drugs were turned in at about 5,200 Take Back Day sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners.

In the 12 previous Take Back events, more than 7.1 million pounds of pills were turned in, according to the DEA.

Proper disposal of unwanted medicines is important. Most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. They can lead to overdoses and accidental poisonings.

Once-common methods of disposal, such as flushing medicines down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, pose potential safety and health hazards, the DEA said.

More information

Search the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration database for a Take Back Day site near you.

Source: HealthDay