DPH Asks Residents to Dispose of Unused Prescription Medicines Safely During ‘Drug Take Back Day’ Events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 23, 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Twice a year, in April and October, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) partners with local law enforcement and other community organizations to host National Prescription Drug Take Back Days. The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) encourages residents to participate in the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 25, by cleaning out and properly disposing of unused or expired medications.

Nearly 50% of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets, according to the DEA.

In 2023, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 2,157 drug overdose deaths in South Carolina, a 6.1% decrease from 2022. Of those overdose deaths, 1,982 were attributed to prescription drugs.

“Prescription drugs continue to be a big driver of drug misuse and overdose,” said Julia Horan, DPH’s Substance Use Prevention Unit director. “Do your part in helping to prevent overdoses by disposing of unused or expired prescriptions at the next DEA drug takeback day. If you cannot make it to a location on Oct. 25, you can dispose of medications at a permanent drop box near you.”

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day drop-off events run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25. To find a local take back site near you, visit the DEA's Collection Site Locator.

Take-back locations will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. The DEA will continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges at its drop-off locations, provided lithium batteries are removed.

There are also many locations that accept unused drugs year-round. The South Carolina Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, through its Office of Substance Use Services (OSUS), provides a map of these locations around the state at justplainkillers.com/drug-safety.

For information on opioid overdose prevention, the opioid antidote naloxone, finding a recovery provider, pain management options and overdose data, visit justplainkillers.com, which is managed by OSUS.

Free Overdose Prevention Safety Kits are available to all community members at DPH health clinic locations. These kits contain fentanyl test strips, naloxone (Narcan), treatment resources and instructions for their use. No appointment is needed to receive a kit, and you do not have to provide identification.

Additional information about DPH opioid prevention programs is available on DPH’s Opioid Epidemic webpage.

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