Wake Forest police collect unwanted pills free and with no questions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Wegmans on Ligon Mill Road. What they take and what they don't.
The Wake Forest Police Department will collect unwanted prescription medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Wegmans, 11051 Ligon Mill Road.
The drop-off is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Drug Take Back Day. It is free and anonymous, and no questions will be asked, the town said.
Weather permitting, the drop-off will be just outside the store’s main entrance, on the side facing Dr. Calvin Jones Highway (the N.C. 98 Bypass).
What to bring, and how
The department asked people to bring pills, tablets and other medications in their original containers with the labels still on. That helps the officers at the site identify and sort them. Everything collected is secured by law enforcement and destroyed by incineration, the town said.
The department will not accept:
- creams and lotions
- liquids
- vitamins
- over-the-counter medications
- needles
The town’s Drug Take Back Event page links the collection site rules and separate guidance on disposing of e-cigarettes, vaping devices and medical waste.
Why police run it
The town said the event helps prevent accidental poisonings and drug misuse and keeps medications out of local rivers and streams. “The WFPD is committed to making our communities safer and healthier, and we can do this by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths,” the department said in the release.
How much the national event collects
The DEA counts what comes in at every site. At the last Take Back Day, in April 2026, 4,417 sites across the country collected 642,410 pounds of medication, or 321 tons, according to the DEA’s results page. The agency puts the total since the program began at 21,034,225 pounds.
The national totals for the last five events:
| Event | Pounds collected |
|---|---|
| April 2024 | 670,136 |
| October 2024 | 629,953 |
| April 2025 | 620,321 |
| October 2025 | 571,054 |
| April 2026 | 642,410 |
What it means for you
- When and where: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, outside the main entrance of Wegmans, 11051 Ligon Mill Road.
- Bring: prescription pills and tablets in their original, labeled containers. Leave the liquids, creams, vitamins, over-the-counter medicines and needles at home.
- Plan the drive: a contractor has Ligon Mill Road down to one lane between Quail Bluff Court and Burlington Mills Road from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day from Oct. 19 to 28, the town said. Our road construction and closures page has the rest.
- Questions: Sgt. Jeff McArthur of the Police Department, 919-554-6150 or jmcarthur@wakeforestnc.gov.
- Can’t make Saturday? The DEA’s collection site locator lists other sites by ZIP code.
- More from the department is on our Police and Fire log.
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