Prescription drug take back event set for April 25
Published 4:39 pm Monday, March 9, 2026
Special to the American Press
On Saturday, April 25, the Lake Charles Police Department is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration to take back unwanted prescription drugs.
LCPD Officers will be on-site, set up near the front entrance of the Walmart Neighborhood Market (2011 Ryan St.) from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Residents are encouraged to bring their unwanted prescription pills for disposal during this time. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous.
This take back event will give the public its 30th opportunity in 17 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
During the October 2025 Drug Take Back event, Americans turned in over 500,000 lbs. of prescription drugs at more than 4,200 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,300 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 29 previous Take Back events, The DEA and its partners have taken in over 20 million pounds of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.
