Figuring out what to do with unused or expired medication can be a challenge. Yet, keeping it at home can be dangerous to young children and other family members. Data from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) showed that more than 5,700 youth “reported using prescription pain relievers without a doctor’s guidance for the first time.” This past month, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) held its 19th National Take Back Day to encourage the safe and anonymous drop off and disposal of unused prescription medications. 

The October 24th event, which had 4,153 participating law enforcement officers and 4,587 drop off sites, collected 985,392 pounds. Since the event first started, the DEA and partners have collected almost 14 million pounds of unneeded medications.

This work does not end after Take Back Day; throughout the year there are DEA-approved drop off sites available. These can be found by searching the online directory from the DEA Diversion Control Division. In addition, CSIP and its members, Google and Facebook, worked closely in support of Take Back Day to make sure that medications are turned-in at one of thousands of free drop-off locations across the country throughout the year. To assist you in finding your nearest local pharmacy or other location where you can drop off your old prescription medications for free, contact us via our Facebook Messenger tool.

The US Food and Drug Administration also provides tips for how to safely dispose of different types of medications, especially if you don’t have access to a disposal site. When we work together to get rid of unwanted medications, we can better keep our children and family members safe and reduce the risk of injury or death from taking something that is not prescribed by a health care provider. The DEA-lead website GetSmartAboutDrugs.gov offers consumer-focused tools and resources, in both English and Spanish.

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About the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP)
The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP), a non-profit organization founded in 2011 by the White House, represents the technology sector and commerce intermediaries including Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Oath, UPS, PayPal, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and .Health. CSIP’s mission is to promote industry best practices as it relates to illegal online pharmacies, and educating consumers about safe purchasing of prescription drugs.