From KRON4
By Jordan Baker
Free doses of Narcan are available in a vending machine at the Maguire Correctional Health Services and the Sheriff’s Office in Redwood City, according to the San Mateo County Executive’s Office.
Narcan is a nasal spray that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and is the brand name for the drug naloxone. The boxes have two doses of Narcan and are available for anyone in need, including inmates, inmate family members and friends and members of the public. The touchscreen vending machine is in the public lobby of the facility.
According to the San Mateo County Executive’s Office, the goal of the drug vending machine is to “reduce community harm and potentially save lives.”
The vending machine provides information about other services, such as food, housing, substance use treatment, mental health, probation and parole.
The California Department of Public Health recommends that friends and family members who know someone at increased risk for opioid overdose, especially those with opioid use disorder, carry naloxone, according to the San Mateo County Executive’s Office.