Vending Machine Has Opioid-Reversing Drug At Greenfield Police Dept.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article said the vending machine is selling supplies but officials clarified it is all free. We regret the error.

GREENFIELD, WI — Vending machines are now offering free fentanyl testing strips alongside Naloxone, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, as part of a new harm reduction effort in Greenfield.

The new initiative comes after 103 suspected opioid overdoses happened in Greenfield in 2021, according to a news release from the city. In 2020, there were 70 suspected overdoses in the city, the release said. The increase, nearly 150 percent, is a "point of great concern," the release said.

The effort seeks to bring a focus onto the harm and death caused by overdoses in the community, and offers immediate access to harm-reduction supplies for anyone in need. The Narcan Direct Program is behind the new vending machines in Greenfield. The city's new machines are part of a pilot program. The machines offer strips that can see if there is fentanyl in a drug plus opioid-reversing Naloxone, which has the brand name Narcan.

The first vending machine is located in the Greenfield Police Department lobby at 5300 West Layton Avenue. Anyone can walk in during the daytime hours or get buzzed in during the night to access the machine, 24/7, no questions asked, the news release said.

“The Opioid epidemic continues to impact many lives, both young and old. In fact, it is now more accurate to call it an overdose epidemic because of the complex, rapidly evolving issue across the Nation,” said Abby Gorecki, acting health officer in Greenfield, in a release. “Providing Harm Reduction services, education and conducting outreach is important to reduce the impact of this in Greenfield. One important Harm Reduction strategy is to increase access to Narcan and Fentanyl Test Strips”.

The initiative comes after the Greenfield Health Department began offering free Narcan alongside training to use it in January.

You can learn more information about harm reduction services in Greenfield by visiting safegreenfield.com.