Free Narcan vending machines were unveiled at the Deep Ellum Community Center over the weekend.
Narcan is a life-saving medication that can quickly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The medicine is administered as a nasal spray and is small enough to fit into one’s pocket. According to Narcan’s website, the nasal spray can reverse the effects of an overdose in 2-3 minutes.
Conscience Conduit, an organization focused on addressing public health issues, and Livegy, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting the opioid overdose epidemic, teamed up to debut the free Narcan vending machines at the community center on Sunday. Narcan typically costs $40 over the counter.
The vending machines were unveiled this month in recognition of National Recovery Month. The team called them a “groundbreaking project [that] uniquely merges art and public health to address the opioid crisis.”
The machines are covered with colorful, punchy graphic designs with “FREE NARACAN” displayed in golden lettering.
Conscience Conduit and Livegy plan to continue their partnership, equipping schools and other public institutions across Texas with the Narcan vending machines, each covered with its own unique artwork.
“The project seeks to mobilize creative community engagement and gain support from social organizations affected by this crisis,” said Conscience Conduit and Livegy on their shared website. “The vending machines and this group effort represent the start of consolidating specific resources to meet acute needs and provide targeted support where it’s needed most.”
Those who attended Sunday’s unveiling received free Narcan training.
In recent years, many have called for the drug to be more accessible to the public to help save more lives. In March, the Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan as an over-the-counter medication, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Narcan is frequently used to reverse the effects of fentanyl, a powerful opioid that has created the most dangerous and deadly drug crisis in U.S. history.
Fentanyl is nearly 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, as previously reported by DX.
It is inexpensive and highly addictive, a combination that has destroyed and ended the lives of countless Americans. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal.
As of September 15, Dallas has recorded 6,797 drug and/or narcotic violations and 1,164 drug equipment violations, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard.