University unveils free Narcan vending machine

The future is now: Vending machines in 2023 dispense cannabis, beer, art, cupcakes and now the life-saving drug Narcan as we race into an automated world.

Santa Clara University (SCU) in California announced the installation of a free on-campus vending machine dispensing canisters of the opioid overdose drug Narcan.

“Naloxone is a miracle drug that can reverse an opioid overdose in minutes,” Jamie Chang, assistant professor of public health at Santa Clara University, told NBC Bay Area. “Not providing this seemed really contrary to many public health principles.”

One of the goals is to avoid the stigma associated with opioid overdoses and instead see Narcan as an immediate life-saving solution. The fact is, people die because friends are afraid to call 911 or because they are unaware of the Good Samaritan laws that protect people from saving a life from an overdose. But students must have the Narcan on hand to act quickly in most situations.

“Our goal in doing this is to bring naloxone into the community because the more naloxone people have in their hands, the greater the chance of saving a life,” said student Isabella Bunkers.

The vending machine concept will probably find its way into a university near you. The Mercury News reports that Stanford University plans to introduce one in a few weeks. “SCU is a party school, so drug use is something we know happens on campus, off campus, or near campus,” said Setareh Tehrani, who helped start the project.

The idea was inspired by the death of Charlie Ternan, a former SCU student who died of fentanyl poisoning in 2020 while his friends thought he was sleeping in an off-campus sorority.

Photo by Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group

According to preliminary data from the California Department of Vital Statistics, one in five deaths among California youth is attributed to fentanyl and opioids. Fentanyl killed a record 5,722 Californians in 2021, much more than the estimated 4,258 people who died in auto accidents in the state and more than double the 2,548 people who died in homicides.

You don’t even have to look for fentanyl to overdose on it: Two Ohio State University students died from a fentanyl overdose, according to a May 5 statement from the Columbus Police Department, and officials say the fentanyl was mistaken for Adderall was camouflaged.

While Narcan can cost up to $150 without insurance, most students can’t afford the cost, which is one of the main goals of the project. Additionally, when someone overdoses on an opioid, it can take too long to look for a payment method to save a life.

“The first is that it’s free and in a location that’s open to students,” said Chang, who helped launch the campus vending machine. “(But also) whether students choose to take naloxone or not, we hope it at least sends the message that they need to take this seriously and that resources are available for them.”

Under California Senate Law 367, public colleges in California are required to provide on-campus access to Narcan. Some high schools in the state are taking the initiative to make Narcan available to students.

Santa Clara County is considering installing similar vending machines on high school campuses.

“People are more aware of fentanyl. We’ve talked about it everywhere from Greek life to club sports to college sports,” said Olivia Pruett, a senior who studies public health. But Narcan “is only effective if people have it, when they need it.” That conversation needs to continue.”

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Minnesota are trying to pass legislation that would require state schools to have the opioid overdose drug Narcan available in an emergency.