Growing Number of Vending Machines Around U.S. Dispense Free Naloxone

A growing number of vending machines around the U.S. are dispensing the opioid overdose antidote naloxone free of charge, UPI reports.

Using the machines does not require a prescription. Experts say they provide vital access for high-risk individuals who want to keep their addiction private. Many of the vending machines are funded through health departments or local governments, with support from federal and private grants.

In addition to naloxone, the vending machines often contain supplies including sterile injection equipment, condoms, first-aid kits and pregnancy tests.

Naloxone in nasal and injectable forms from one public health vending machine outside the HIV/AIDS nonprofit organization Caracole in Hamilton County, Ohio, led to the reversal of more than 3,000 overdoses since February 2021, according to Daniel Arendt of the University of Cincinnati’s James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, who tracks data related to the vending machine.

A public health vending machine was recently placed in Wayne County, Michigan, which has recorded the most overdose deaths of any county in the state. There are plans to deploy 100 machines throughout the county’s 43 municipalities in a variety of locations, including local government sites, civic centers, libraries, churches, substance use treatment providers, marijuana retailers, housing and social services organizations.