For tenth straight year, Wisconsin’s Drug Take Back collection ranks first in nation

WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) last week announced that Wisconsin ranked number one throughout the country for the most prescription medications collected during the spring 2026 Drug Take Back collection.

According to a release from DOJ, Wisconsin collected 57,054 lbs. of unwanted medications this spring.

This is the tenth consecutive Drug Take Back collection that Wisconsin has been number one in the nation for the most medications collected, DOJ said.

“This is the tenth time in a row that Wisconsin has led the nation in Drug Take Back,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to those whose collaborative efforts have helped lead to this remarkable success and to the folks across Wisconsin who have safely disposed of medications.”

DOJ said Wisconsin has collected a total of 1,480,024 lbs. of unwanted medications since Drug Take Back began in 2010 under the leadership of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Wisconsin ranks third in the nation for the most medications collected since inception, falling only behind Texas with 1,598,159 lbs. and California with 1,530,511 lbs. collected. Nationwide, since inception, 21,034,225 lbs. of unwanted medications have been collected during Drug Take Back events.

The DEA leads two Drug Take Back days a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. DOJ partners with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to promote Drug Take Back throughout Wisconsin.

“Drug Take Back provides a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the community about the potential abuse and consequences of improper storage and disposal of these medications,” DOJ stated.

Wisconsin’s Drug Take Back events are supported in part by Fuchs Trucking, Reworld, the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, Waukesha County, the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office and all participating local law enforcement agencies.

DOJ noted that whille Drug Take Back Day only happens twice a year, any day can be Drug Take Back Day at one of Wisconsin’s more than 500 permanent drug disposal boxes. These boxes are accessible year-round at law enforcement agencies, hospitals, pharmacies and health clinics.

In Lincoln County, drug disposal boxes can be found at the Tomahawk and Merrill police departments, Tomahawk Pharmacy and the Marshfield Clinic Health System-Merrill Center.

Visit www.tinyurl.com/3zrvpdbr for a full list of permanent drug disposal box locations.