The first public health vending machine in New York City was revealed on Monday. It offers free drug paraphernalia and overdose-prevention medications for users.
The giant blue box, which was put in place in Brooklyn on Monday, will provide users of drugs who have overdosed on opioids with Naloxone and instructions on how to use it. Anyone with a New York City ZIP code can claim hygiene kits and safe sex kits in place of snacks or sodas from the vending machine.
Similar devices, according to officials, have proven beneficial in reducing overdose rates and the spread of infectious diseases in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.
New York City is experiencing a historic rise in overdose deaths. 2,668 overdose deaths occurred in NYC in 2021 as opposed to 2,103 in 2020. 84% of overdose fatalities in 2021 involved an opioid. According to the NYC Department of Health, 80% of all overdose deaths involved the dangerous synthetic drug fentanyl.
Officials Reported The Increasing Number of Overdose Deaths In Previous Years
In the first half of 2022, 1,370 overdose deaths were officially reported. If the trend continues, they predict 2022 will be the worst year for overdoses ever.
By providing users with free access to Naloxone, fentanyl-detection drug test strips, and "Safer Smoking" kits that include a pipe, mouthpiece, and lip balm for smoking crack and crystal meth, the vending machine aims to reverse that trend.
According to the New York Post, the machine also includes "Safer Sniffing" kits, condoms, tampons, nicotine gum, and first-aid supplies.
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