The free Narcan in the vending machine is in the form of a nasal spray, according to a press release. It is available 24 hours a day, every day, officials said.
“Free, 24-hour access to this life-saving medication is essential to reducing the overdose death rate in our communities,” said Nathan Lanthrum, clinical director and co-owner of Lighthouse Recovery, in the release. “It has saved the lives of countless friends and family members over the years and should be readily available to anybody who needs it, regardless of their ability or desire to access services in any other capacity.
“I hope this is the first of many free, round-the-clock Narcan distribution efforts in Kane County,” Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said in the release.“Offering easier access to Narcan is one of the many ways we can help those in our community with substance use disorder,” she said in the release.
“Yes, I absolutely am in favor of having a Narcan vending machine in Kane County,” Kane County Coroner Rob Russell said in the release. “I would actually advocate for more. I know the argument has been made that this enables people to continue using and should not be encouraged. This is a fallacy. A recent study by the University of Cincinnati revealed that nearly 1,000 people have been saved from naloxone that was acquired from a vending machine.