Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet Today: Free Drug Take Back Day in Peachtree City, Newnan, Grovetown, Aiken and Beyond

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Neighbors, if there are a few old pill bottles tucked in the bathroom cabinet, the nightstand drawer, or the shelf above the stove, today is a wonderful day to deal with them. Saturday, Oct. 24, is the DEA’s 31st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and drop-off sites across our corner of Georgia and South Carolina are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It’s free, it’s quick, and it’s one of the simplest things a household can do to keep the whole village a little safer. Let’s walk through where to go, what to bring, and why it matters.

What’s Happening Around the Village

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, working with more than 4,300 law enforcement partners, has set up more than 4,400 collection sites nationwide for today’s event. Sites accept unneeded, expired, and unused prescription medications, and the DEA describes Take Back Day as a free and anonymous way to dispose of them.

Here are a few drop-off spots in our coverage area that we could confirm through official or organizer sources:

Peachtree City, Fayette County, GA: the Peachtree City Police Department is collecting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the city and its police department.
Newnan, Coweta County, GA: the Newnan Police Department is listed on the city’s calendar for a DEA drug take-back from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Grovetown, Columbia County, GA: Grovetown police officers will collect medications at the CVS and Walgreens locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., per WRDW. Liquid medications will not be accepted there.
Aiken, Aiken County, SC: Rural Health Services, 995 Clyburn Place, is hosting a Take Back Day drop-off. Their post lists 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so plan to go a little earlier than the national window.
North Augusta, Aiken County, SC: Kroger’s Take Back Day page lists its 1284 Knox Ave. store among participating locations, with collection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Kroger’s page also lists participating stores at Jimmie Dyess Pkwy. in Augusta, 435 Lewiston Rd. in Grovetown, and 805 Glynn St. S. in Fayetteville, GA, among others. Participation and hours can change, so a quick call to the store or agency before you drive is a smart move.

Don’t see your town? Enter your ZIP code at DEATakeBack.com to find a registered site near you, whether you’re in Atlanta, Birmingham, Columbia, Bainbridge, Greensboro, or a country crossroads in between.

What to Bring (and What to Leave at Home)

Bring tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription medication. Syringes, sharps, and illegal drugs are not accepted, and South Carolina’s Department of Public Health adds that vaping devices and cartridges are not accepted either.

Liquids are the one place the rules differ. The DEA says liquid medications are accepted when securely sealed in their original containers, but South Carolina’s health department and Grovetown police say liquids will not be accepted at their sites. When in doubt, ask the site first.

Why It Matters

Medicine cabinets are quieter than most of us realize. According to the DEA, nearly half of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets. Old, unneeded medication is easy to forget and just as easy for someone else to find.

South Carolina’s Department of Public Health reports 1,481 drug overdose deaths in 2024, a 31.3% decrease from 2,157 in 2023. That is real progress worth celebrating, but 1,166 of those deaths were attributed to prescription drugs, so there’s still work to do.

As Julia Horan, manager of DPH’s Substance Use Prevention Unit, put it: “Drug Take Back Day gives everyone a safe and simple way to dispose of expired or unwanted prescription medications, preventing misuse and keeping harmful substances out of our homes.”

How This Impacts Our Community

Take Back Day helps households of every kind: the grandmother whose prescription changed, the family sorting through a loved one’s belongings, the parents with teenagers or curious little ones at home, and the caregiver who’s been juggling too many bottles for too long.

It also adds up. At the most recent Take Back Day in April 2026, South Carolina collected 4,905 pounds of unwanted or expired prescription drugs across 47 drop-off sites, and the national event collected 642,410 pounds at 4,417 sites. Since 2010, the DEA says, Take Back Day has helped Americans remove more than twenty million pounds of unneeded medications from their homes.

How You Can Get Involved

Do a quick sweep today. Check bathroom cabinets, kitchen shelves, nightstands, purses, and glove boxes, then head to a site before the doors close at 2 p.m. (1 p.m. in Aiken).
Offer a ride. An older neighbor, church member, or friend without transportation may be glad to have you carry their bag and make the trip together.
Can’t make it today? The DEA says more than 15,300 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses offer safe medication disposal year-round, and many police departments have permanent drop boxes. South Carolina also keeps a statewide map of year-round sites at justplainkillers.com/drug-safety.
Know where to find help. South Carolina’s DPH health clinics offer free Overdose Prevention Safety Kits, with fentanyl test strips, nasal spray naloxone (Narcan), and treatment resources. No appointment or ID is needed.
Spread the word. Share this post with your church group, neighborhood page, or family chat. For more free health resources close to home, read our recent roundup, Your Health Is the Village’s Wealth.

Around the Village Calendar

Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at participating sites, including Peachtree City, Newnan, Grovetown, and North Augusta.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.: Take Back Day drop-off at Rural Health Services, 995 Clyburn Place, Aiken, SC.
Year-round: DEA-authorized collection sites and drop boxes. Search at the DEA’s Diversion Control Division site or the South Carolina map linked above.

Around the Village Takeaway

A safer village doesn’t always start with a big event. Sometimes it starts with one forgotten pill bottle and a Saturday morning drive to the drop-off table.

Sources: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (dea.gov); South Carolina Department of Public Health (dph.sc.gov); WRDW/WAGT; Kroger; City of Peachtree City; City of Newnan; Rural Health Services, Inc. Event details can change, so confirm with your local site before you go. Featured image: public-domain U.S. Marine Corps archive photo (2016) of a Drug Take Back event at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, California. It is a file photo, not from a local site.