New vending machines include free life-saving medication

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - In April, the Oklahoma City Police Department administered 7 doses of Narcan in an attempt to help people suffering from drug overdoses. Now, there's a new vending machine that contains free naloxone and fentanyl test strips to make it more accessible.

The plan was unveiled Wednesday by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse with plans to place more than 40 vending machines across Oklahoma.

"We have a lot of communities that have people dying from overdoses right now, so these vending machines are strategically placed in zip codes where people are dying at higher rates in Oklahoma," said Heath Hayes, a State Mental Health Spokesperson.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics reported that 326 people died from fentanyl in the state last year. "It's almost doubling every single year," said Mark Woodward, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

"We want to normalize having access to it and having naloxone like you would as part of any first aid kit, is essential" said Hayes.

To get the machine to work, you punch in your zip code on the touchscreen key pad, select what you want, and then it dispenses like a regular vending machine.

The machines contain 100 naloxone kits and 54 fentanyl test strip packages which the department says are all free from federal partners.

"We know that there are many, many lives that are being saved around the U.S. Every single day by people who have easy access to Narcan and are able to stop the and reverse the effects of an overdose," said Woodward.

The department says refills of each machine will be monitored and you can expect to see them installed over the next couple of months.