National Drug Take Back Day Returns Saturday With Six Local Drop-Off Sites

Officials say the twice-yearly effort is designed to curb prescription drug misuse.

Unused and expired medications can be turned in safely on Saturday, Oct. 24, as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration holds National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. across the country, including multiple locations in Cheshire County.

Local residents who want to clear out old prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs will be able to use participating sites in Keene, Jaffrey, Hinsdale, Walpole, Alstead and Peterborough. The listed collection points are the Keene Police Department at 400 Marlboro St., Keene; Jaffrey Police Department at 26 Main St., Jaffrey; Hinsdale Police Department at 10 Main St., Hinsdale; Walpole Police Department at Walpole Recycle Center, 207 Whitcomb Road, Walpole; Alstead Police Department at 15 Mechanic St., Alstead; and Peterborough Police Department at 73 Grove St., Peterborough.

Officials say the twice-yearly effort is designed to curb prescription drug misuse, reduce the chance of accidental poisoning and keep medications from being discarded in ways that can damage the environment. Because participation details can change, the DEA advises checking its collection site locator before heading out.

Accepted items generally include tablets, capsules, liquids kept in sealed containers, patches and inhalers. Needles, syringes, sharps and some other forms of medical waste will not be taken. Anyone dropping off medication is also urged to remove or obscure identifying information on prescription labels first.

For people who cannot make it on Saturday, permanent disposal options are available year-round. The DEA’s locator lists Dartmouth Health Pharmacy Cheshire, 580 Court St., Keene, and CVS, 268 West St., Keene, as nearby drop-off sites, though residents are encouraged to call ahead to confirm hours and accepted materials.

The Take Back Day program has become a major national disposal effort, with the April 2026 event bringing in 642,410 pounds of unwanted medications. Since the program began, total collections have exceeded 21 million pounds.

More information is available on the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day website.