DEA will now accept vaping cartridges as the agency and partners hold National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday October 26

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day initiative continues to remove ever-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they are vulnerable to misuse, theft or abuse by family members and visitors, including children and teens.

DEA and its national, tribal and community partners will hold National Prescription Drug Take Back Day across the country on Saturday, October 26. The service is free and anonymous.

Vaping cartridges will now be accepted as part of the event.

Now in its ninth year, DEA has collected a total of nearly 11 million pounds (more than 5,400 tons) of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications through its Take Back Day events. During the April 2019 event, they collected nearly 940,000 pounds of prescription drugs -- more than twice the weight of the Statue of Liberty.

DEA and its community partners set up drop off sites across the nation where individuals turned in their unused, unneeded or expired prescription medications, as well as vaping cartridges. This weekend, approximately 6,000 collection sites manned by nearly 5,000 partner law enforcement agencies will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps.)

“I encourage everyone to go into their medicine cabinets this Saturday and safely dispose of their leftover pills and medication,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We know of far too many heartbreaking stories of addiction that begin with someone abusing or misusing prescription medication. Drug Take Back Day is a way for everyone to get involved in combating this drug epidemic that has devastated so many families here in Ohio.”

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States continue to be alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The majority of prescription drug abusers say they get their drugs free from friends and family, including from the home medicine cabinet. Take Back Day is a unique opportunity for Americans to protect their homes and medicine cabinets from theft and abuse.