Narcan Vending Machines Being Installed Across the US to Help with the Opioid Crisis
Cities across America are coming up with a new and innovative way to fight drug addiction and save lives through vending machines. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan®, has saved countless lives in the face of an ever-growing and deadly opioid crisis. Vending machines that dispense free Narcan® are making the opioid overdose medicine readily accessible to people across the United States.
The Opioid Epidemic in the US
According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one million people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. In the year 2019, over 70,000 people died due to drug overdoses. Approximately 50,000 of those deaths in 2019 were a result of opioid use. The effort to place the vending machines in cities nationwide comes after reports that the US topped 100,000 overdoses during the last year—a huge increase over two years prior.
Anonymous? No Questions Asked?
While it may be difficult to remain completely anonymous when utilizing a vending machine (as some cities require registration to utilize the network of machines), the medicine is issued with no questions asked.
Innovations will allow the machines to monitor when Narcan® is most utilized and when the machines need to be refilled. The vending machines are an alternative for individuals who cannot or will not come into health clinics or pharmacies to obtain supplies due to physical limitations and privacy concerns.
Carrying Naloxone for that “Just in Case” Situation
It is free to utilize the vending machines, so people are encouraged to use the dispensary to their advantage. Doctors and drug manufacturers have all agreed that Narcan® can be administered to anyone suspected of having an overdose.
There are minimal to no consequences if a dose of Naloxone is administered to an individual who is experiencing an overdose of a non-opioid drug, though Naloxone will not be effective. If in doubt, administer Naloxone.
Naloxone is a Short-Term Treatment. Consider a Long-Term Solution.
The Narcan® vending machines are not meant to enable drug use, nor are they intended to be a solution for the nationwide opioid epidemic. These vending machines are meant to be a practical, life-saving tool to prevent overdose and allow individuals to take small steps toward living a healthier life.
If you are ready to take a big step into a drug-free life, the professionals at Advanced Rapid Detox in Detroit remain on standby for you! With our rapid opiate detoxification program, we will help you rid your body of opioids in as little as three days, all while under medically supervised sedation. To learn more, please contact Advanced Rapid Detox at (800) 603-1813 or contact us online. Become that better you today!