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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Apr. 22, 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) encourages residents to drop off unused, expired or unwanted prescription drugs during the upcoming National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 26. 

In 2023, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 2,157 drug overdose deaths in South Carolina. Prescription drugs accounted for most of those overdose deaths, with 1,840 deaths being attributed to prescription drugs.

“It’s always best practice to secure prescription medications, especially opioids when they are not being used,” said Julia Horan, DPH’s Substance Use Prevention Unit Director. “Once the prescription is unneeded, it’s important to dispose of them properly to keep your loved ones safe from prescription drug misuse.”

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day drop off events run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26. 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 Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) provides a map of these locations around the state at justplainkillers.com/drug-safety. 

DPH also recommends South Carolinians keep their prescription drugs locked away and out of reach. This is another easy way to make sure they do not get in the wrong hands. 

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

DPH offers Opioid Overdose (OD) Safety Kits at health departments across the state. Each kit contains two doses of the opioid-antidote medication naloxone, five fentanyl test strips, five xylazine test strips, educational materials on how to use everything included and guidance for how to identify an opioid overdose.

The naloxone in the kits is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, potentially saving a person’s life. The fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, in different types of drugs. Xylazine test strips can detect the presence of xylazine, which is a harmful sedative that can create painful wounds on the body and can also cause death. Both fentanyl and xylazine are often added to other drugs without the user’s knowledge, making them even more dangerous.

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

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