St. Louis County announced Tuesday that it will place 44 free naloxone vending machines in high-need areas across the county through its new “I Carry for My Community” campaign.
Naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan, is a nasal spray that reverses opioid overdose. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 105,000 people died of an overdose in 2023.
Jenny Armbruster, executive director at the local substance use-prevention nonprofit PreventEd, said everyone should carry Narcan.
“It’s kind of like a fire extinguisher,” she said. “You should have one. You hope you never have to use it, but if that circumstance were to arise, you need to have it available and ready to go.”
PreventEd has installed three of its own Narcan vending machines in Franklin County and one at its main office in St. Louis.
Ozarks-area cities and other parts of Missouri also have machines either in progress or already installed, but these will be the first in St. Louis County.
This initiative comes as the county marks its third consecutive year of declining opioid overdose deaths – down more than 50% from 2021 to 2024. Last year, 161 people died of an opioid overdose in the county, compared to 338 in 2021.
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page attributed this downward trend to the work of Dr. Kanika Cunningham, Department of Public Health director, and her staff. He also credited the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program that he launched in the county, which was later adopted by the state. Page said Missouri was the last state in the country to implement a program like this.
“The programs that are in place are working,” Page said. “They're helping. We're going to continue them.”
Six initial locations will kick off the rollout of the eventual 44 vending machines. One is at the 24:1 Cinema in Pagedale. Cunningham said its ZIP code, 63133, has seen more overdose deaths since 2020 than any other part of the county.
“This location is not symbolic, but it’s intentional,” Cunningham said. “We are meeting people where they are, and putting lifesaving resources where they’re needed most.”
Narcan can also be accessed at all three DPH health centers, any St. Louis County library or by mail to any county address. Page said more vending machine locations will be announced on the county website. The Department of Public Health will be responsible for ensuring the machines remain stocked.
Substance use disorders and the use of Narcan can carry stigma, Cunningham said.
“We want to normalize carrying naloxone like we do a first-aid kit or EpiPen, because being prepared should never be shameful,” she said. “It should be expected.”
Armbruster said vending machines are a good way to eliminate the stigma or fear around carrying the medication for yourself or others.
“It allows them to obtain the naloxone to be able to use, and to do so in a way where they don’t have to be concerned about providing personal information or the hours that a location might be open,” Armbruster said.
The full list of initial locations with naloxone vending machines is:
- Beyond Housing: 24:1 Cinema, 6755 Page Ave. 63133
- Dollar General: 6225 N. Hanley Road 63134
- Northwest Airport Inn: 3570 N. Lindbergh Blvd. 63074
- Cutt’n Headz Hair Center: 6853 Howdershell Road 63042
- Recovery Housing: 5218 Ville-Cecelia Lane 63042
- River Rock Church: 1601 Telegraph Road 63125
- John C. Murphy Health Center: 6121 N. Hanley Road #2003 63134
- South County Health Center: 4580 Lindbergh Blvd. 63172
- North Central Community Health Center: 4000 Jennings Station Road 63121
The Department of Public Health has also launched an overdose deaths dashboard on the county website.
