Dispose of your Medication Properly

Patients often ask pharmacies how to dispose of their medications or ask the pharmacy to take them back. The Board has approved some medication disposal programs for non-controlled medications. Check the Board website for more information. Federal guidelines recommend mixing medications with something undesirable such as kitty litter or coffee grounds before disposal.

Under no circumstances should a pharmacy take back controlled substances. A pharmacy may direct a consumer to dispose of controlled medications in the take-back boxes provided by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBNDD) in several locations around the state. They do not accept liquids, syringes, or inhalers. The nearest take- back box locations may be found by visiting https://portal.obn.ok.gov/takeback/default.aspx.

Pharmacies or other registrants may not use take-back boxes for disposal of medications. They must use their wholesaler or a reverse distributor for proper documentation.