04/23/2026
**THIS SATURDAY**
Ever wonder how to clean out those left over prescription drugs in the cabinet? See below for the answer!
On Saturday, April 25, 2026, Frederick County will take part in the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day”. This semi-annual drive-through event offers Frederick County community members the opportunity to safely get rid of potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs. Community members can also get rid of sharps including syringes, needles, lancets, and auto injectors. All sharps must be separated from the medications.
“Safely throwing away medication keeps our environment clean and prevents misuse of prescription medication,” said Nate Smith, the Health Department’s Opioid Misuse Prevention Coordinator. “Drug Take Back Day provides community members a quick and convenient way to throw away old or unwanted medications.”
This drive-through event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following two locations:
• Frederick County Health Department – 350 Montevue Lane in Frederick
• Maryland State Police, Frederick Barrack – 110 Airport Drive East in Frederick
The following medications may be dropped off during the event:
• Prescription and over-the-counter medicines in pill form only
• Prescription patches
• Pet medicines in pill form only
This event is for residential disposal only and is not intended for businesses, clinics, or medical/healthcare facilities.
Participants may dispose of their medicines in the original container and are encouraged to remove any identifying information from the prescription label. If disposing sharps, please have an approximate count of sharps to be disposed.
According to a 2023 national survey on drug use and health, 14.4 million Americans reported misusing prescription drugs in the past year. This drug disposal event provides an opportunity for community members to prevent drug sharing, addiction, and overdose deaths by safely and securely disposing of their expired and/or unwanted medications.
For more information about the DEA’s “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” initiative, visit the DEA website. For information about the dangers of prescription medicine misuse and for information about monitoring, storing and disposing of medicines, please visit the health department website or contact us at 301-606-0146.
