Why You Should Participate in Drug Take Back Day in Rochester on Oct. 25

If you've never had the pleasure of having your wisdom teeth removed, let me fill you in on that fun.  Back in April, I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled and my #5 tooth.  My mouth was so swollen, and the pain was through the roof!  My recliner, Netflix, ice packs, an antibiotic, and painkillers were my reality for a few days.  While the prescribed narcotics were helpful for those first few days, I did not need all of the pills that were handed to me by the pharmacist.

According to SingleCare, in the United States, there are over six billion prescriptions written every year.  If you have bottles of pills in your medicine cabinet that you no longer need or that are expired, drop them off easily at this free event in Rochester on Saturday, October 25th, 2025.

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Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinets and Drop Off Unused or Expired Medicine at this Free Event in Minnesota

Based on data from the Food and Drug Administration, there are 20,000 different prescription drug products available today.  If you have had surgery or had an illness that led to the need for a prescription, there is a chance that you have a few pills or bottles of unused medications.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is coming up on Saturday, October 25th - this is where you can just drive up and drop off your unneeded medications.  By emptying your medicine cabinet, you can help prevent abuse, accidental overdoses, or theft.

Everything You Need To Know About National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in Rochester, Minnesota

Help make the community a safer place by dropping off expired or unused medications at National Drug Take Back Day.  This is a free, safe, and anonymous drive-thru event for residents of Rochester and throughout Minnesota and the country.

Here are the medications and locations where you can drop off your unneeded medications:

• Date:  Saturday, October 25th, 2025
• Time:  10:00 am until 2:00 pm
• List of medications that can be dropped off during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Over-the-counter medications
  • Ointments, patches, creams, inhalers, and vials
  • Pet medications
  • Nonaerosol medications
  • Liquid medications must be in the original container
  • Vape pens and other e-cigarette devices are also accepted but batteries must be removed
• Where to drop off your unneeded medications on Saturday, October 26th
  • Mayo Family Clinic Northeast, 3041 Stonehedge Drive NE, Rochester, Minnesota (Get Directions)

What You Should NOT To Do With Unused Prescription Drugs

If you aren't able to stop by on October 26th, there is a drop box at the Adult Detention Center in Rochester where prescription drugs can be disposed of properly.

Whatever you do, do NOT throw unneeded drugs in the trash or toss them in the toilet and flush.  If prescription drugs don't get disposed of properly, they can pollute our water and unintentionally harm us due to exposure.

How to Find Other Drug Take Back Locations

If you don't live in the Rochester, Minnesota area but have medications that you no longer need, find additional drop-off locations at DEATakeBack.com.

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