Free Narcan now available in Mecklenburg County Vending Machine

More people will have access to life-saving tools like Narcan in Mecklenburg County. County officials unveiled a new kiosk stocked with Narcan, COVID tests and condoms at the Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center.

Debbie Dalton keeps Narcan handy after her son Hunter died of a drug overdose in 2016.

“I have some in my purse. I have a few in my house. I have it in my car. I’m never anywhere without him,” Dalton said. “It’s still surreal to me that a nasal spray could have saved my son’s life.”

Dalton now focuses on prevention and awareness through HD Life Foundation. She was happy to hear about the new kiosks that will make Narcan more accessible to the public at no cost.

The kiosk is inside Ella Scarborough Community Resource Center on Stitt Road near North Tryon. Mecklenburg County officials used some of the opioid overdose settlement money to pay for the overdose reversal drugs for the machine. Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington gave WCCB a demonstration of how the machines work.

“Put your phone number in the kiosk and it will deliver your products. Of course, there are limits, so you can’t empty the car,” Dr. Washington said. “So the phone number really isn’t for tracking people. Just so we can make sure people don’t take more product than we have available.”

Dr. Washington says the machine’s inventory is 50 percent COVID tests, 30 percent Narcan, and 20 percent condoms.

CDC data show a 48% decrease in overdose deaths in North Carolina, comparing May 2023 to May 2024. Officials say distributing Narcan helps lower the risk of a fatal overdose.

“These harm reduction tools are extremely important in our work to fight infectious disease in this community,” said Dr. Washington. “These kiosks allow us to make it available to people in a very convenient location.”

Mecklenburg County officials have plans for at least one more vending machine. Dalton says he would love to see everyone around the area.

“I can’t save my son and it’s heartbreaking,” Dalton said. “It’s been eight years, it’s not going away, but knowing that someone else could be saved and not have to go through this torture, it’s a good thing.”

There are plans to add another vending machine off Freedom Drive at Valerie C. Woodard Community Resource Center. Officials also have plans to stock home STD testing machines, but are still working on how to track positive cases.