Indiana State Police partners with DEA for Drug Take Back Day

Residents across the country will have the opportunity to safely dispose of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications this Saturday, October 24, 2026, as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors its nationwide "Prescription Drug Take Back" initiative.

The "Take Back" initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs. Collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs, which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment.

This program is for liquid and pill medications. Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges will also be accepted. Needles, new or used, will not be accepted for disposal. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—pose both potential safety and health hazards.

Once again, the Indiana State Police is pleased to partner with the DEA, and as in the past, you can drop off unwanted medications at any Indiana State Police Post. The event will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

To locate the State Police Post closest to your home or business, click this link to find Indiana State Police Posts on the map. To find other locations in Indiana or across the U.S. that are participating in the Drug Take Back initiative,  click this link to the DEA.