First

A new vending machine that offers free health and wellness supplies — such as naloxone (Narcan) to prevent opioid overdoses, smoker's quitting kits, and safer drug use kits — has arrived in New York City.

The city's health department unveiled New York City's first public health vending machine Monday as a tool to reduce stigma and barriers around public health and to prevent more deaths caused by drug overdoses.

The first vending machine went into operation June 5 at 1676 Broadway in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood in Brooklyn, just outside of a supportive housing facility less than 10 blocks from Highland Park and the Bushwick-Aberdeen St. subway station. The vending machine will be in operation 24 hours a day.

The vending machine is currently supplied with: Fentanyl test strips, Naloxone Kits, safer smoking and sniffing kits with pipes, safer injection kits, hygiene kits with toiletries, menstrual kits, Vitamin C, first aid kits, wound care kits, and COVID-19 test kits.

New York City residents can use the vending machine by entering their zip code and the code associated with the product, which will be listed below the product in the machine, that they wish to have.

The vending machine is run by Services for the UnderServed, a New York-based nonprofit that supports people living with disabilities and people facing homelessness and poverty. The nonprofit also oversees the facility where the vending machine was placed.

Rebecca Linn-Walton, chief strategy officer at Services for the UnderServed, told amNewYork Metro that the vending machine is not meant to promote drug use, but to address an existing crisis.

"The big question people often has is, is this going to increase drug use? and I would immediately say, no. What this does is recognize how much drug use there is already going on," Linn-Walton said. "It helps people safely use until they can get into services."

The public health vending machines meet a goal that was outlined in the city's mental health plan for drug overdose responses. The city announced its commitment earlier in March to reduce overdose deaths by 15% by 2025 and increase access to free naloxone, especially with a focus on populations with the highest rates of overdose death and risk of experiencing or witnessing an overdose.

The mental health plan also called for the installation of at least four public health vending machines in high-need neighborhoods. Those additional machines are slated to go live next year, according to the city's health department. Those vending machines will be run by four different agencies.

New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan, who spoke at Monday's launch, pointed to the overdose crisis impacting New Yorkers — every three hours someone dies from an overdose in New York City — and its role in declining life expectancy in the region.

"Public health vending machines are an innovative way to meet people where they are and to put life-saving tools like naloxone in their hands," Vasan said in a statement. "We’ll leave no stone unturned until we reverse the trends in opioid-related deaths in our city."

Overdose deaths in New York City have reached historically high levels, according to the city's health department. There were 2,668 overdose deaths in New York City in 2021, compared with 2,103 in 2020. Most of those overdoses involved an opioid — primarily Fentanyl. Roughly 108,000 lives were lost to opioid overdoses in the United States in 2021.

There were 1,370 confirmed overdose deaths in New York City in the first half of 2022.

Mike Selick, associate director of capacity building at the National Harm Reduction Coalition, told amNewYork Metro in a statement that coalition is excited to see how the vending machines will be used.

"Vending machines are a cheap way to ensure access to safer drug use supplies while our existing harm reduction infrastructure is closed during late nights, and this is a move that will save lives," Selick said. "We are excited to see how this new machine is used and to see this program expanded to more locations across the city."

This initial vending machine will be stocked by Services for the Underserved and supplied based on the current needs of the community. The machine could expand to include blood sugar testing strips, Linn-Walton said.

Harm reduction experts, told amNewYork Metro that one, or even four, vending machines won't be enough to support the entire city. Graciela Razo, a programs manager at VOCAL-NY, said there should also be more overdose prevention centers.

"Hopefully folks who can't make it to a syringe service program can access supplies at the vending machine and get what they need," Razo said. "But one machine just isn't enough."

Perry Perlmutter, CEO at Services for the UnderServed, said the public health vending machine is needed for an area that has seen high rates of overdose deaths in the past, and where other similar harm reduction initiatives, such as a mobile overdose prevention van, have recently launched.

"This public health vending machine will be a game-changer for this part of East Brooklyn," Perlmutter said in a statement. "With it, we can provide free and easy access to life-saving tools."

New Yorkers can currently find free naloxone by contacting a select number of community-based organizations, including BronxWorks, Montefiore Primary Care, Harlem United, Staten Island YMCA Counseling Service, and Family Services Network of New York, or by visiting a pharmacy participating in the NYC Emergency Overdose Rescue Kit Program and asking for a free "Emergency Overdose Rescue Kit."

"The machine provides essential items that can improve the quality of life of all New Yorkers, regardless of their income, insurance, or housing status," Perlmutter said. "By installing machines like this one in strategic locations, we are fulfilling our commitment to reducing harm, promoting wellness, and supporting recovery for our most vulnerable communities."

Sarah Belle Lin covers education and general assignments for amNewYork.