Narcan Vending Machine Installed In Peninsula Jail Lobby

REDWOOD CITY, CA — A free vending machine stocked with the overdose reversal drug Narcan was installed this month inside the lobby of the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City.

The nasal spray reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and can be administered by friends or bystanders even before calling 911, county officials said. The state Department of Public Health recommends that anyone who knows someone at heightened risk for an overdose carry Narcan.

The new vending machine builds on San Mateo County's plan to boost public access to Narcan and educate community members about how it works.

"This effort took over a year and is the result of a great partnership with the sheriff's office," said Michael del Rosario, Correctional Health Services Director. "As we strive to make improvements in the services we provide to our incarcerated persons and to the community, we hope that we can help save a few lives with this project."

The machine at Maguire dispenses a box with two doses of Narcan and is available to anyone who needs it, including inmates being released, friends and family, and members of the public. It also provides information about other services, including food, housing and substance use treatment.