Lincoln is now home to the first Narcan vending machine in the state of Nebraska.
Narcan, generically named Naloxone, is a nasal-spray medication used to reverse opioid overdoses during emergency situations. In an effort to prevent more narcotic overdose’s in the community, Local non-profit CenterPointe now has Narcan available at no-cost through a discrete vending machine located in their campus lobby near 11th and South Street.
The CenterPointe main campus building near 11th and South Street. (Chase Porter, KLIN News)
Project Coordinator for the Nebraska Pharmacists Association Amy Holman was Wednesday’s guest on KLIN’s Drive Time Nebraska with Doug Fitzgerald, and said the machine offers more than just Narcan.
“There’s some first aid kits in there as well, even some safe sex kits. We’re trying to do some harm reduction in Lincoln,” said Holman. “It’s just like any other vending machine. Anyone can walk up to it and punch in the code to pick what you want. It will ask a few quick demographic questions, and then you get the products from it. It’s super easy.”
Additionally, Deterra systems ‘drug destruction bags’ are available in the machine.
“You can take pills, say you had some sort of narcotic, oxycontin, something like that, left at home, and you wanted to dispose of it. You can just put it into that bag, you mix it with a little bit of water, and then that disintegrates it, and then you’re able to just throw that away,” Holman described.
Holman says there are plans to open up more Narcan vending machines around Lincoln in the coming weeks, including one at Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach.
For information on overdose awareness, or to order a box of Narcan, visit stopodne.com.