Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania departments of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) announced that since the start of Governor Josh Shapiro’s Administration, the agencies have collected and destroyed nearly 450,000 pounds of unused and unwanted prescription medications – the weight of the Statue of Liberty – through the Administration’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Program.
“The Shapiro Administration’s take-back program is a leading overdose and substance use prevention tool,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones. “By having hundreds of take-back boxes throughout Pennsylvania communities, we are safely eliminating unused and unwanted prescription medications from our homes and each doing our part to keep our communities and loved ones safe. We are grateful for our law enforcement partners, in particular, that offer take-back boxes at courthouses, police stations, and other locations.”
The Administration’s take-back program offers year-round opportunities to dispose of medication through nearly 900 take-back boxes across the Commonwealth. DDAP was joined by Dauphin County Sheriff Nicholas Chimienti at one of the county’s 19 year-round collection sites.
“We are proud to stand alongside our state partners in advancing Pennsylvania’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Program,” said Sheriff Chimienti. “Removing unused medications from our communities is a direct investment in public safety—helping prevent misuse and overdoses while protecting our families and neighborhoods.”
Every Day is Take-Back Day in PA
Since the inception of Pennsylvania’s drug take-back program in 2015, more than 1.6 million pounds, or 800 tons, of prescription medication have been destroyed across 67 Pennsylvania counties. The hundreds of boxes are in convenient drop-off locations such as state and local police departments, pharmacies, and hospitals.
The PSP collects unwanted prescription medications at 65 stations across the Commonwealth. No personal information is required and take-back boxes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More than 4,100 pounds of medications were collected at PSP stations last year.
“The Pennsylvania State Police remain committed to protecting our communities by providing drug take-back boxes at our PSP facilities across the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens, Acting PSP Commissioner. “These resources allow residents to safely and anonymously dispose of unused medications, helping to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.”
The DMVA’s Counterdrug Joint Task Force (CJTF) is operated by the Pennsylvania National Guard (PANG) and, along with narcotics agents from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office, is responsible for collecting and weighing discarded prescription drugs through Pennsylvania’s take-back program.
In addition, the CJTF provides counterdrug support and training to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, community-based organizations, and educational and government organizations that request assistance at no cost to the agency supported. The PANG is part of the DMVA’s dual mission, which also includes supporting Pennsylvania’s more than 700,000 veterans.
“Drug Take-Back Day highlights how the Pennsylvania National Guard supports community partners by transporting collected medications and ensuring they are handled safely and securely through every step of the process,” said Col. John Wenzel, PANG Director, Joint Chief. “By supporting the collection and proper disposal of these drugs, the Guard plays a direct role in protecting public health, reducing risk, and strengthening the well-being of the communities we serve. I'm proud of our Guard members' commitment to this mission and their continued service to commonwealth communities.”
National Take-Back Days Boost PA’s Program
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has offered National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days – one in the spring and one in the fall - since 2010 with the goal of fighting prescription drug misuse by creating convenient ways to dispose of medication that could otherwise be misused.
The DEA’s 2026 spring take-back day will be held this Saturday, April 25 at locations across the Commonwealth.
During the most recent National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in October 2025, the DEA collected nearly 21,000 pounds of unused medication in Pennsylvania alone across more than 220 collection sites.
For more information on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, visit takebackday.dea.gov.