BELLEVILLE, Ill. – Three towns in the St. Louis Metro area will soon have vending machines that provide free access to Narcan (Naloxone) for those who need it.
According to a press release from Chestnut Health Systems, there were 96 overdoses in Madison and St. Clair counties, with more than 70 percent involving opioids, primarily fentanyl.
Chestnut Health Systems announced that it aims to reduce these numbers by installing vending machines that dispense Narcan, a medication used to treat emergency overdoses.
The vending machines will be located at:
50 Northgate Industrial Drive, Granite City, IL
2148 Vadalabene Drive, Maryville, IL
12 North 64th Street, Belleville, IL
Anyone can access these locations to dispense two boxes of Narcan without any questions asked. If additional training or information is needed, a QR code on the machine can be scanned to request it. Instructions are also provided on the box. This service is confidential, and no personal information is required.
“Narcan is a non-prescription medication and when used appropriately can block or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose,” said Dan Hutchison, associate director of community health at Chestnut. “The naloxone available in the vending machines is easy and safe to use. It might save the life of someone you know.”
Chestnut’s Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) team’s primary goal is to prevent overdoses and overdose deaths. For several years, the OEND team has distributed Narcan for free to anyone in the community.
Opioid overdoses can occur when someone uses too much of a prescription opioid, like hydrocodone or oxycodone, or uses illegally purchased drugs. The risk of overdose is heightened because many street drugs are contaminated with fentanyl.
Groups or individuals interested in scheduling training or requesting more than two boxes of Narcan can contact the Chestnut OEND team at (618) 512-1781, email SR-Narcan@Chestnut.org, or visit www.chestnut.org/narcan.
