Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Juniper Park Civic Association, will host a Prescription Drug Take Back Event on Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Our Lady of Hope School, 61-21 71st Street, Middle Village, NY 11379. 

Through a series of interactive demonstrations, presentations and conversations, attendees will learn why it is harmful to flush drugs or throw them in the trash, the dangers of ingesting expired drugs or taking other people’s prescription drugs. They will also learn about current drug trends, the importance of using a licensed pharmacy, the dangers of taking nonprescribed medication and its transition to illicit narcotics, and the real-world impact on families and communities.

Participants will be able to bring their unused or expired prescription drugs to the event for safe disposal with or without the bottle. Any data on the bottle label will be destroyed along with the drug itself, and no personal data will be revealed. 

At this event, DEA will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be sealed in their original container. Vaping devices and cartridges will also be accepted, provided the lithium batteries are removed. NO syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs will be collected. 

“Hosting this drug takeback in our community is a matter of protecting families, mitigating the potential for medications to be misused and saving our water and environment for generations to come,” Addabbo said. "It is the responsibility of each of us as a community to continue to make this a priority, and to work to ensure our neighborhoods are safer to live in--with proper waste disposal." 

Drug Take-Back Day is a nationwide effort by the DEA which takes place twice a year, once in April and once in October. Senator Addabbo proposes to do this again in October, taking it out into a new neighborhood to make it possible for even more people to participate. Details will be made public once they become available. 

The core of this DEA campaign is to decrease misuse and overdose and to protect children and pets from accidental poisoning, reduce the risk of diversion for non-medical use of medications. Proper disposal causes less pollution and enables safer medication management in homes. It also offers free, anonymous removal and raises community awareness regarding safe opioid use, storage and disposal. 

During DEA National Drug Take Back Day events, the DEA and its law enforcement partners typically collect and dispose of between 570,000 and 750,000 pounds (roughly 285 to 375 tons) of unused, unwanted, or expired medications nationwide per event. Over 20 million pounds of medication has been collected since the program began in 2010. In 2025, the DEA New York Division and its partners collected approximately 25,501.20 lbs. of unwanted, expired, and unused prescription drugs. 

“I would like to thank the DEA and the Juniper Park Civic Association for their partnership and assistance in educating the public and in making this critical disposal service available,” Addabbo said. “I plan to keep working with the DEA as we disseminate this message throughout the community.”