LIFE-SAVING NARCAN VENDING MACHINE NOW ACCESSIBLE AT TULSA DAY CENTER

TULSA, Okla –

The Tulsa Day Center now has a life-saving vending machine in its facility that contains Narcan and Fentanyl test strips.

The goal is to make the products inside more accessible to Oklahomans.

The vending machine is available 24 hours a day and is free for those who need it.

The vending machines are a part of the Harm Reduction Campaign by the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Leaders want to reduce the number of accidental overdoses in Oklahoma through access to resources like Naloxone and Fentanyl test strips.

Mack Halton with the Tulsa Day center says there is a large group of people who come in daily, and this could save lives.

“We felt like it was necessary to have harm reduction resources available for our clients and for anybody who needs to come in and receive these services,” Haltom said.

Bonnie Campo with the state department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse wants people to know how important these products are.

“It’s crucial to have those in a moment’s notice and we always tell people when they’re like well I don’t need it, but it’s not for you it’s for so many other people that live in the community that you’re able to save their life,” Campo said.

The CDC says nearly 40% of overdoses, there was someone there who could have intervened, making access to these resources crucial.

“We are really trying to get in front of as many Oklahomans as possible and let them know if you can save a life, be a good partner, be a good neighbor, this is someone in your community that needs help,” Campo said.

Haltom said the vending machine is already getting attention. One woman came to get some products to help people in her community.

“She came from out of town because of a neighbor or friend that had overdosed, and she wanted to have these resources,” Haltom said.

The plan is to have a total of 40 vending machines around the state in locations where overdoses are high.