Narcan Vending Machines Popping Up In Missouri County

Narcan is the layman’s name for a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Vending machines with free boxes of Narcan doses are being placed across St. Louis County.

A half Dozen Machines Are in Place Now

Opioid abuse has been a problem for years, and it’s only gotten worse with the proliferation of Fentanyl. Most everyone knows someone affected by opioid abuse/overdoses.

Dozens of these vending machines are being placed around the county. They are the size of (and look like) the old newspaper vending machines with the pull-down front window/door. These machines, however, do not have a slot for money. The Narcan is free.

The Boxes Contain Doses Contained in A Nasal Spray

The St. Louis County area has seen an exponential rise in opioid overdoses over the last five years (since COVID-19). The vending machines will be checked regularly to make sure they are stocked, but if you see one that’s empty, there is a QR code on the side of the machine itself that you can click and message the County Public Health Department.

Demonstration of Narcan nasal spray application

Hundreds of people in St. Louis County die every year from opioid overdoses. The goal is to reduce that number. The more people are aware of the Narcan vending machines and their location, the better the chance that they can be utilized to save someone.

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The Free Narcan vending machines aren’t a new thing. They’ve already been implemented in Chicago, Rockford, in the metro east area of St. Louis (across the river), Las Vegas, San Diego, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Denver, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Pennsylvania too among others, over the last couple of years.