United States Drug Enforcement Administration

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On October 24, 2026, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and more than 4,200 law enforcement partners collected 645,636 pounds of unused medications as part of ongoing efforts to prevent drug misuse. This event marked DEA’s 31st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day with 4,212 collection sites nationwide, including 64 tribal locations.

Right here in the Louisville Field Division, which is comprised of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, nearly 49,000 pounds of medications were collected across the three states, which represents an increase of nearly 18 percent over the last Take Back Day.  Tennessee led the division, with 29,255 pounds, followed by Kentucky with 15,012 pounds, and West Virginia with 4,723 pounds.   

Since 2010, DEA’s National Prescription Take Back Day has collected 21,679,861 pounds of unused, unwanted, and expired medications – the equivalent of more than 10,840 tons – to help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the risk of accidental overdoses and poisonings. 

“Twice a year communities across the country come together for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to help remove unused and unwanted medications from homes, reducing the risk of misuse, accidental poisonings, and overdoses,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “The collection of more than 645,000 pounds of medications this fall reflects the continued commitment of the public and our law enforcement partners to keep families safe.”

“I want to thank everyone who came out and supported National Prescription Drug Take Back Day,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Field Division.  “By properly disposing of your old prescription medications, you are helping us keep potentially dangerous drugs away from those who might otherwise abuse them.”

More than 15,300 pharmacies, hospitals, businesses, and many police departments offer safe medication disposal year-round.  For information on permanent drop boxes, visit DEA’s Every Day is Take Back Daywebpage.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day results are available at Take Back Day. Safe disposal of unused medications remains one of the simplest ways communities can help prevent drug misuse. 

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