Attorney General Rayfield Urges Oregonians to Clean Out Their Medicine Cabinets for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

October 23, 2026
• Posted in ,

Free, anonymous drop-off this Saturday, October 24, at sites across Oregon

Attorney General Dan Rayfield is encouraging Oregonians to take a few minutes this week to gather up old, unused, or expired prescription medications and drop them off for free this Saturday, October 24, during the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 31st National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Collection sites across the state will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and no questions are asked.

“Most of us have a bottle of leftover medication sitting in the back of a bathroom cabinet, and we don’t give it a second thought,” said Attorney General Rayfield. “But that medicine can end up with a teenager who’s curious, a visitor who’s struggling, or a toddler who thinks it’s candy. Dropping it off takes five minutes, it’s free, and nobody asks your name. It’s one of the simplest things any of us can do to protect the people we love.”

Unused medications kept at home can be misused, stolen, or accidentally swallowed by children or pets. Take-Back Day gives people a safe, legal way to get rid of them. In April, Oregonians turned in 1,484 pounds of unwanted medications. Nationwide, the spring event collected 642,410 pounds at more than 4,400 sites and Take Back Day has removed more than 21 million pounds of medications from American homes since it began in 2010.

Take-Back Day is one piece of a broader effort to reduce the toll of the opioid crisis in Oregon. Since 2021, the Oregon Department of Justice has secured more than $700 million through national settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies, including Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. That money is going to prevention, treatment, and recovery programs, with the majority directed to Oregon counties and cities.

“Holding the companies that fueled this crisis accountable is a big part of our work,” AG Rayfield said. “Making sure the pills already in our homes don’t cause more harm is something every Oregonian can help with.”

Event details
What: National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
When: Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Participating pharmacies and law enforcement agencies across Oregon. Find the
closest site at https://www.dea.gov/takebackday(Opens in a new tab/window) or call 1-800-882-9539.

What to bring — and what to leave at home

  • Accepted: tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription medication.
  • Liquids, such as cough syrup, should stay sealed in their original container with the cap tightly closed to prevent leaks.
  • Not accepted: syringes, needles or other sharps, and illegal drugs.
  • Tip: Remove or black out your name and other personal information on prescription labels before dropping them off.

Oregonians can dispose of medications for free year-round. Oregon’s statewide Drug Take-Back Program, overseen by the Department of Environmental Quality, offers drop-off kiosks at participating pharmacies and law enforcement agencies, plus prepaid mail-back envelopes. Find a location or order an envelope at medtakebackoregon.org(Opens in a new tab/window) or call 844-482-5322 (844-4-TAKE-BACK).