Drug Take Back Day Sites Available to Tribal Communities

BILLINGS — According to a 2023 study by the Montana Office of Public Instruction, 17% of Native American high school students report using a prescription medication without a prescription. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day can help.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 25. The biannual event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at sites across Montana, including Native American reservations. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, and unused prescription drugs.

Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs.

“It’s an imperative that we protect Montana’s youth from opioid misuse and addiction, especially our Native American youth. More than one in six will use an opioid not prescribed to them. We encourage members of our reservation communities to take advantage of Drug Take Back Day by cleaning out their medicine cabinets. It’s a quick and easy way to help make our communities safer,” U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

“Every year, residents in our Division and around the country turn in thousands of pounds of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications,” said DEA RMFD Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “This simple action can help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental overdoses and poisonings.”

Numerous sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal agencies across Montana are participating in Take Back Day. Information about collection sites and more information about the event is available here: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.

Montana also offers year-round collection at many locations, including pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers, which can be found at these two websites: https://dphhs.mt.gov/BHDD/SubstanceAbuse/dropboxlocations, and https://www.dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day. Many of the year-round collection locations are in or near Montana’s reservation communities, including the IHS hospital in Browning, the Rocky Boy Health Center in Box Elder, the Milk River Pharmacy in Harlem, Northeast Montana Health Service in Poplar and Wolf Point, the Bighorn Valley Pharmacy in Hardin, the US Public Health Service in Lodge Grass, the PHS Indian Health Center in Lame Deer, and several locations in Ronan, Polson, and St. Ignatius.

During the last Take Back Day held on April 26, 2025, 4,472 law enforcement participants at 4,590 collection sites across the country brought in a total weight of 620,321 pounds, or 310 tons, of drugs. This brings the total weight collected to 19.8 million pounds, or more than 9,910 tons, of prescription drugs collected in the history of the program. Collection results may include materials other than prescription drugs.

During the April 2025 event, Montanans turned in 1,229 pounds of prescription drugs at 20 collection sites. Nineteen law enforcement agencies participated. Total all time weight collected in Montana is 59,506 pounds.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 25 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.