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Prescription Drug Takeback Program
Free. Anonymous. Responsible.
Thanks to Cook County residents, since 2017 we destroyed more than 97,677,941 pills through the Cook County Sheriff’s Prescription Drug Take Back Program.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Prescription Drug Take Back Program collects and destroys unwanted prescription drugs at our 80 permanent collection sites, at community take back events and through our mail back service.
Our service is free of charge for County residents.
Collection is handled on an anonymous basis.
Cook County residents can safely dispose of their unwanted medicines by taking them to a collection box located throughout Cook County or to designated community prescription drug take back events. Participating local law enforcement and government agencies and pharmacies will accept unwanted Covered Drugs, including most prescription and over-the-counter medicines for disposal. Mail-back envelopes are available for residents who are elderly or home-bound and have limited mobility. There is no cost to residents to use this service. Learn more by calling our toll-free telephone number 1-84-GOT USD RX (1-844-688-7379). Learn more about our program on this website.
Please dispose of unwanted medicines responsibly—
Don’t toss or flush.
Don’t leave them lying around unattended.
Don’t throw them in the trash or down the sink. Don’t flush them down the toilet.
Remember, unused or expired prescription drugs can lead to poisoning, overdose and abuse. In Illinois, prescription pain medication overdose deaths doubled between 2013 and 2016. Learn about public safety and public health involving prescription drugs on this web page.