Got old pills lying around? Fort Wayne residents are getting a no-hassle way to clear them out — and maybe save a life in the process.
In a statewide initiative backed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Indiana State Police (ISP) will be hosting a Drug Take Back Day event at their Fort Wayne post later this month. It’s a small window, but it could make a big difference.
One Day, One Simple Mission
April 26. That’s the date circled for this year’s Drug Take Back Day in Fort Wayne.
Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., residents can drop off any expired, unused, or leftover prescription medications at the ISP Fort Wayne Post at 5811 Ellison Road.
Walk in, find the box, and leave the rest behind.
No paperwork. No interrogations. No judgment.
What You Can Bring — And What You Can’t
The program is straightforward, but not without a few rules. Most prescription medications are fair game — but not all items are accepted.
What’s welcome:
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Expired pills
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Partial prescriptions
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Over-the-counter meds
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Capsules, tablets, even those mystery bottles you never opened
But here’s what won’t make the cut:
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Needles
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Syringes
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Sharps
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Liquids or inhalers
Organizers stress this is about safety — not just for the public, but for the teams handling disposal behind the scenes.
More Than Just Housekeeping
This isn’t a spring-cleaning stunt. It’s public health, plain and simple.
Prescription drugs — especially opioids — are still a leading cause of accidental poisoning in the U.S. And most people who abuse prescription drugs? They don’t get them from dealers. They get them from someone’s cabinet.
The DEA has run Take Back events for over a decade now. Nationwide, it’s taken in more than 17 million pounds of meds since 2010.
That’s not a typo.
Fort Wayne’s small part in that national effort might seem like a drop in the bucket — until you realize how easily those “leftover” pills can fuel addiction.
Local Numbers Show the Stakes
Allen County isn’t immune. Overdose deaths have haunted the region for years. And while synthetic drugs like fentanyl dominate headlines, prescription meds are still a major factor.
According to the Indiana Department of Health:
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Statewide, 663 overdose deaths in 2024 involved prescription drugs
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Fort Wayne reported 22 prescription-related deaths last year alone
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Dozens more were treated for non-fatal overdoses tied to leftover meds
These numbers don’t lie. The pills sitting in people’s homes aren’t harmless. Sometimes, they’re the start of a tragedy no one saw coming.
Who’s Behind It — And Why It Works
The joint effort between ISP and the DEA brings a rare kind of collaboration — one that blends federal reach with local boots-on-the-ground access.
Officers won’t be logging your name or asking questions about what you’re turning in. They don’t care if it’s yours, your grandma’s, or something that’s been collecting dust since your last surgery.
Here’s a quick breakdown of roles:
| Agency | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| ISP Fort Wayne | Hosts drop-off site, secures collected drugs |
| DEA | Manages final transport and environmentally-safe destruction |
| Local Health Advocates | Raise awareness, help spread the word |
And yes — everything gets incinerated at authorized disposal facilities. None of it goes into landfills or water systems.
Fort Wayne’s Role in a Bigger Story
It’s easy to think these kinds of initiatives only matter in big cities or drug-ravaged counties. But truth is, it’s places like Fort Wayne that quietly keep these efforts alive.
Over the years, local residents have consistently shown up for Drug Take Back events. According to past DEA data, Fort Wayne drop-offs typically gather between 800 to 1,200 pounds of medications during each event.
That’s hundreds of thousands of pills out of circulation.
Even better? The anonymity encourages participation from people who might otherwise feel unsure or embarrassed. People cleaning out their parents’ homes. Folks who lost a loved one and didn’t know what to do with the meds. Or just regular people trying to be responsible.
There’s no wrong reason to show up — only good ones.
Final Notes Before You Go
So yeah, it’s one day. Four hours. But it’s a good one to remember.
If you’ve got medications collecting dust, here’s your sign to do something about it. No hassle. No guilt.
Just show up, drop the box, and let the folks in uniform take it from there.
