On April 25, 2026, 4,306 law enforcement agencies partnered with the DEA to collect 642,410 pounds of unneeded and expired medications from communities across the country. The Omaha Field Division alone — covering five states and 159 local sites — accounted for more than 19,000 pounds. It was the 30th iteration of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and by every reasonable measure, it worked.
It is worth pausing on what that number represents: roughly 321 tons of consumer-held medication, voluntarily surrendered, routed to DEA-sanctioned destruction, and kept out of medicine cabinets, toilets, and landfills. Twice a year, the program does exactly what it was built to do.
It is equally worth pausing on what the program is not built to do. Read More >
