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Police announce free Narcan vending in lobby; city reports drop in overdose deaths
Summary
Rolla police said a public Narcan vending machine in the department lobby provides free naloxone kits and that local overdose deaths have dropped, with the department restocking supplies via state and settlement funds.
The Rolla Police Department announced a public Narcan vending machine in the police lobby that dispenses free naloxone boxes; the department said it has restocked and that overdose deaths in the city have fallen to two this year.
The police chief said the machine dispenses two doses per box and that visitors can pick up a coupon at the lobby to retrieve a free kit from the machine. “We have got our overdose deaths down to 2 this year. That is because we are flooding the market with Narcan,” the chief said, adding that the health department and opioid-settlement funds have expanded supply.
The department said it recently restocked the machine and maintains an ample supply. Staff cautioned against bulk removal; to ensure equitable distribution the department packages and issues coupons so one person does not take multiple kits at once. The chief said the county and universities in the area also operate public dispensing points.
Councilmembers welcomed the announcement while noting Narcan distribution addresses immediate overdose risk but is not a substitute for efforts to reduce illicit opioid supply. The chief said the machine and free distribution have been effective tools for reducing overdose fatalities.
