Mayor Bowser Encourages Residents to Participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at Drop-Off Sites Across the District

(Washington, DC) - Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser, the DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are encouraging residents to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 25 from 10 am to 2 pm. The District will host drop-off sites across the city where residents can safely dispose of unneeded or expired prescription medications, helping prevent them from being misused.

"Prescription drugs may be legal, but they can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Our prevention and treatment strategies to combat the opioid crisis and keep residents safe are working," said DBH Director Barbara J. Bazron, Ph.D. "We can continue to prevent misuse and overdose by clearing out our medicine cabinets and safely disposing unused prescription drugs."

Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a national effort to encourage people to safely dispose of unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription medications that could increase the risk of misuse. Opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine are among the most frequently misused prescription medications, and Take Back Day helps keep these and other drugs out of the wrong hands. At the last Take Back Day event in October 2025, residents safely disposed of 405 pounds of unneeded prescription drugs.

Prevention of drug misuse is a key strategy in the District's Live Long DC comprehensive plan to reduce opioid use and overdose deaths. This year, Take Back Day comes at a time when opioid overdose deaths continue to decline in the District of Columbia. There has been a 33% drop in overdose deaths during the past 12 months, compared to the prior 12-month period. For the latest information, visit the DC Opioid Overdose Dashboard.

If you or someone you know is at risk of an opioid overdose, DBH urges you to get and keep naloxone, a lifesaving medication. More than 21,000 suspected opioid overdoses in the District have been reversed using naloxone-often administered by community members-effectively saving hundreds of lives. Naloxone is free to everyone in the District of Columbia. Text "LiveLongDC" to 888-811 to get free naloxone delivered to you, or visit one of 49 free pickup locations across the District.

Anyone feeling anxious or depressed or facing mental health or substance use disorders can call or text 988 anytime to talk with a trained, caring crisis counselor for free, confidential support. If you are concerned about a family member or friend, you can call and talk about ways to support them.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day Collection Locations:

MPD Stations

• First District Station: 101 M Street SW
• Second District Station: 3320 Idaho Avenue NW
• Third District Station: 1620 V Street NW
• Fourth District Station: 6001 Georgia Avenue NW
• Fifth District Station: 1805 Bladensburg Road NE
• Sixth District Station: 5002 Hayes Street NE
• Seventh District Station: 2455 Alabama Avenue SE

Libraries

• Mt. Pleasant Library: 3160 16th Street NW
• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library: 901 G Street NW
• Cleveland Park Library: 3310 Connecticut Avenue NW
• Southwest Library: 900 Wesley Place SW
• Anacostia Library: 1800 Marion Barry Avenue SE

DC Housing Authority

• Claridge House: 1221 M Street NW
• Greenleaf Senior: 1200 Delaware Avenue SW
• Knox Hill Senior: 2700 Jasper Street SE
• Potomac Senior: 1225 G Street SE
• Regency House: 5201 Connecticut Avenue NW

For residents who are unable to visit a drop-off site this Saturday, year-round collection sites are available throughout the community. Residents can also safely dispose of unneeded medication using the following guidance from the Drug Enforcement Administration:

Safe Disposal Practices

• Tablets and capsules: Drop off at a take-back site or use DisposeRx packets at home.
• Liquid medications: Keep in original container with cap tightly sealed before disposal.
• Medications on the FDA Flush List: Drop off at a take-back site. If you don't have a drug take-back location near you, flush these unwanted medications down the toilet.
• Mail-back options: Some pharmacies provide envelopes for mailing back opioid prescriptions safely. Check with your pharmacy to find out if they offer this service.

For more information on District Government's work and the 85 community-based organizations that we partner with to reduce opioid use, misuse, and related overdose deaths, visit dbh.dc.gov and livelong.dc.gov.

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