Denton unveils free Narcan vending machine to combat opioid overdoses
Free Narcan vending machine to combat opioid overdoses
A new, free naloxone vending machine has been installed in Denton to provide easy, 24/7 access to the opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan, aiming to prevent overdose deaths in the community.
DENTON, Texas - A vending machine in Denton aims to prevent overdose deaths. It's filled with the life-saving drug naloxone, a medication designed to reverse opioid overdoses.
The most valuable vending machines around can save a life. Naloxone Texas is an initiative of the group, ‘Be Well Texas’ at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio.
On Tuesday, a Denton nightclub, The Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio, became the group's first site for this 24-hour easy-to-use, free-of-charge vending machine. A vending machine that dispenses Narcan, the brand name for the drug Naloxone, is now available without a prescription.
A drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
What they're saying:
"Others do exist in the state, but this is our first vending machine we’re deploying, so we’ll have a total of 112 in Texas that we’re deploying all over," said Tara Karns-Wright with Noloxone Texas.
A presentation with a DEA special agent demonstrates how to administer the nasal pump dose to save anyone who has just overdosed. Something that happened at this club sparked the management’s decision to be a site for a naloxone machine.
"A young person, 18-years old, experienced an overdose, just took a pill. They didn’t know what it was. A patron found them and, luckily, we had Narcan behind the counter, and actually, one of the patrons administered it, and we were able to save that young person’s life," said Chad Withers of Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio.
"Venues like this are where people come to socialize and hang out, and drugs may be prevalent. We just want to make sure everyone knows there are things that can be done to help," said Karns-Wright.
What's next:
Federal and state grant money allows for the purchase of the Narcan they fill those machines with.
The Source: Information in this article was provided from interviews conducted by FOX 4's Dionne Anglin.