Missed National Prescription Drug Take Back Day? You still have safe options year-round 5-20-26

May 20, 2026

Missed National Prescription Drug Take Back Day? You still have safe options year-round

MOBILE, Ala. — If you missed National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, you still have a safe and convenient way to dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired medications. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says “Every Day is Take Back Day” and encourages the public to use year-round drop-off locations at participating pharmacies, hospitals, businesses.

Proper disposal of medications helps reduce the risk of accidental poisoning, misuse, and diversion in the home. DEA also urges residents to clean out medicine cabinets regularly and use authorized collection sites throughout the year, not just during the national event.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is held periodically to provide communities with a safe way to discard medications, and the DEA also maintains a year-round collection site locator for people who miss the event. Residents can search by ZIP Code or city to find an authorized collector near them.

“Even if you missed National Take Back Day, it is not too late to protect your family and community,” said Dr. Kevin Michaels, Mobile County Health Officer. “Every day can be Take Back Day when residents use safe, authorized disposal sites for old medications.”

The DEA says people can use one of more than 16,500 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses offering year-round medication drop-off options.

Residents can find a nearby disposal locations Mobile County by visiting the DEA’s Take Back resources at https://www.dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day.