DENVER — Now is a good time to check if you have any left over prescription medications you don't need and want to get out of the house for whatever reason.
Oct. 5, 2025 is a "Drug Take Back Day" or "Crush the Crisis."
HCA HealthONE has a list of locations around the Denver metro area where you can drop off leftover medications. This includes patches, creams, eye drops and pet medications.
They do not accept illegal drugs or sharps (needles).
It's so crucial because Director of Pharmacy at HCA HealthONE Aurora Melissa Miller said around 70% of people that misuse prescription pain relievers started with medications prescribed for them, a family member or friend.
"It absolutely translates to saving lives," Miller said. "Because when you take away that access, you prevent someone from going down that potential pathway of prescription medication misuse from the very beginning. So they never go down the road where they're having a problem with it."
Local law enforcement agencies, as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), are sharing drop-off location information on social media. Many of them are drive through.
Miller said it's encouraging because more people are dropping off medications.
"We're seeing an increase. Year over year. HCA HealthONE Aurora over the last six years, we've had a couple years where we've been the highest collector in all of HCA. So all 191 hospitals nationwide. So not only seeing an increase in the number of people showing up, but an increase in the number of things that people are bringing," Miller said.
"You know, it's a whole grocery bag, or whole Ziploc gallon bag, or maybe it's a box that they had that they fill up with stuff. So yeah, we're definitely seeing a higher number, which is great. We want that stuff out of your house, out of your medicine cabinet."
You don't have to worry about personal information because everything you drop off is incinerated.
"You just hand the bag or bags to the people that are collecting the medications, our law enforcement partners, and you pull away, and we don't record anything," Miller said.
