October 25th Is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson today announced that Saturday, October 25, 2025, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies across the district to provide free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at designated collection sites from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

“Something as simple as clearing out a medicine cabinet can save a life,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We don’t often think about how unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an opportunity to protect our loved ones, prevent drug misuse, and keep our communities safe by taking a few minutes to drop off unused, unwanted, or expired medications. We all need to do our part to stem the tide of the prescription drug abuse epidemic and a simple action like clearing out our medicine cabinets can make a big difference.”

For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily and safely dispose of medications that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as is the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Prescription medications stored in home cabinets can become highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

Take-back events ensure the safe and responsible disposal of unwanted prescription medications.

Last year, the DEA collected over 1.3 million pounds (649 tons) of prescription drugs nationwide.  Since its inception, the program has removed more than 9,910 tons of medication from circulation. The DEA hopes to surpass that total amount during this October’s take-back event.

To find a nearby collection site, visit www.DEATakeBack.com. Beyond Take Back Day, the public can safely dispose of unneeded medications year-round at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses participating in ongoing disposal programs.