California households have a specific spring date for clearing unused prescription medicine out of the home. DEA’s 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at nearly 4,200 locations nationwide.
The event is designed for expired and unused prescription medications, but the useful first step happens before you leave home: decide what is truly unused, keep current prescriptions separate, and identify anything—such as sharps—that needs a different disposal route.
Quick Answer
For April 25, use DEA’s Take Back Day locator to find a participating site near you. DEA says its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other prescription-drug forms; liquid products should be securely sealed in their original container. Syringes and sharps are not accepted. If you cannot attend the event, California’s State Board of Pharmacy lists registered year-round collection bins and mail-back options. Before disposing of anything, separate current prescriptions from medication that is clearly expired, unused or no longer needed.
What Is Happening on April 25, 2026
DEA will hold its 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The agency describes the event as a safe and anonymous way for the public to dispose of expired and unused prescription medications.
Nearly 4,200 collection locations are participating nationwide. Use DEA’s official Take Back Day locator rather than assuming a regular pharmacy or police station is participating.
The event is one option, not the only option. California also has permanent medication collection locations and mail-back programs that can be used throughout the year.
01
For the April 25 Event
- Find a participating site through DEA’s Take Back Day locator.
- Confirm the collection hours and location details.
- Prepare accepted medication forms before arrival.
02
For Any Other Day
- Search for registered pharmacy collection receptacles.
- Check whether a nearby pharmacy offers mail-back envelopes.
- Use separate state resources for sharps disposal.
Pharmacy Support
Not sure whether a prescription is still part of your active medication list?
La Quinta Pharmacy can help review prescription information or label details before you place the medicine in the disposal group.
If You Miss April 25, California Has Year-Round Disposal Options
You do not need to keep unwanted medicine in the home until the next national event. The California State Board of Pharmacy provides a search tool for pharmacies that have registered medication collection receptacles or offer mail-back envelopes.
The Board’s locator displays collection receptacles registered with the Board and also links to DEA and other California disposal resources.
Before taking medicine to a permanent location, confirm the site’s current hours and accepted items. A pharmacy may operate normally without offering a public medication collection bin, and disposal services can change independently of ordinary prescription services.
An April 25 Drug Take Back Day Checklist
Use this list before leaving home so current medicines stay protected and the disposal trip is focused on products that are actually ready to go.
- Find an official collection site. Use DEA’s Take Back Day locator and confirm the location before you travel.
- Separate current medications. Keep anything still being used as directed away from the disposal group.
- Set aside expired or unused prescriptions. Include products that are clearly no longer needed.
- Pause when a prescription’s status is unclear. Confirm before discarding a medicine you may still need.
- Secure liquid products. DEA says liquids should be sealed in their original container.
- Keep sharps separate. Do not place syringes, needles or lancets in the DEA Take Back Day bag.
- Transport medication securely. Keep the disposal group away from children, pets and other unauthorized access.
- Use year-round options if needed. California collection bins and mail-back programs remain available beyond April 25.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the April 2026 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day?
DEA’s 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at nearly 4,200 locations nationwide.
What types of prescription medication does DEA accept?
DEA says participating sites collect tablets, capsules, patches and other forms of prescription drugs. Liquid products should be securely sealed in their original container.
Can I bring syringes or needles to DEA Take Back Day?
No. DEA states that syringes and sharps are not collected. Use an appropriate California sharps-disposal program and container instead.
Do I have to wait for Take Back Day to dispose of unused medicine?
No. California has year-round collection receptacles and mail-back options. The State Board of Pharmacy provides a locator for registered participating pharmacies.
Is prescription disposal at DEA Take Back Day anonymous?
Yes. DEA describes National Prescription Drug Take Back Day as a safe and anonymous way for the public to dispose of expired and unused prescription medications.
Can La Quinta Pharmacy tell me whether an old prescription is still current?
The pharmacy can help review appropriate prescription-record and label information. If deciding whether a medicine should remain part of treatment requires clinical judgment, contact the prescriber.
Use the Event as a Disposal Date, Not a Last-Minute Sorting Date
The best preparation for April 25 is to decide what is current before the disposal bag is packed. Keep active prescriptions separate, identify accepted items, route sharps elsewhere and confirm the collection location before leaving home.
Use DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day page for event locations and the California State Board of Pharmacy disposal locator for year-round collection bins and mail-back options.
Have a Prescription Question Before Take Back Day?
Contact La Quinta Pharmacy with general questions about prescription labels, pharmacy records or whether a medicine in your pharmacy profile appears current.