The Takoma Park Police Department collected 347 pounds of unwanted and expired medication during the nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back Day held on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
According to the department, the collected medication was delivered to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) drop-off site for proper disposal. The nationwide initiative encourages residents to safely dispose of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications to help prevent drug misuse, accidental ingestion, and theft.
Takoma Park Police Chief Antonio DeVaul thanked community members who participated in the event, along with the department’s officers and staff who organize the campaign each year.
Residents who missed the event can still dispose of unwanted medications at the department’s permanent collection site, located in the first-floor lobby of the Takoma Park Police Department at 7500 Maple Avenue. The green Med-Return mailbox is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and residents can drop off medications anonymously with no questions asked.
Accepted items include prescription and over-the-counter medications, patches, medicinal ointments, vitamins, and pet medications. Loose pills should not be placed directly into the collection box.
The department also accepts vape pens and other electronic cigarette devices, provided their batteries have been removed beforehand. Items that cannot be accepted include liquids, inhalers, aerosol cans, household lotions and ointments, needles, sharps, and thermometers.
The Takoma Park Police Department will collect, store, and safely dispose of the medications through established disposal procedures. The next nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled for April 2027.
