As part of its mission to increase awareness of drug abuse, Alaska’s 15 Elks Lodges have partnered with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Office of Substance Misuse &Addiction Prevention to distribute medicine disposal bags.

The local Homer Elks Lodge has delivered disposal bags to Ulmer’s Drug and Hardware.

People can pick up the free bags and take them home to safely dispose of medicines, especially opiods and other potentially addictive prescription drugs.

The idea is to remove potentially harmful expired medication from homes to prevent misuse.

“This is something pertinent to today’s times,” said Tom Stroozas, exalted rule of Homer Elks Lodge 2127.

In a press release from the Elks, Stroozas notes that its motto is “Elks Care, Elks Share,” but in the case of opiod medications, it is “Elks Care, so we don’t share.”

Made by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, the purple, sealable drug disposal bags contain chemicals which, when combined with water and pills, liquids or patches, make the drugs save to throw away in the trash.

DHSS also has supplied the disposal bags to South Peninsula Hospital and the Homer Public Health Center.