Narcan vending machines revival in Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (ODMHSAS) is redistributing the life-saving Narcan vending machines.
The vending machines were first implemented in May of 2023 to help curb overdose deaths due to Fentanyl.
Nearly a year ago, the state department decided to pull the plug on the vending machines across the state, citing budget concerns and operational challenges.
In a press release, ODMHSAS says they're relaunching the vending machines with a new approach that relies heavily on local and community partners to get the machines up in running.
This comes in the midst of an investigation into the department's nearly $30 million budget shortfall, which would later lead to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Commissioner Allie Friesen being voted out by state lawmakers.
The vending machines' redistribution is welcoming news to state departments like the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, as they track a steady increase in overdose deaths.
"If you go back and look at about the last eight years, the fentanyl overdose is pretty much doubled almost every year from 50 to 100, to 200, to 400, last year nearly 800. We're on pace to surpass that this year," Mark Woodward, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, said.
Oklahoma saw nearly 2,000 deaths in 2023, 748 of those deaths were from Fentanyl use alone.
The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse contradicts the Bureau of Narcotics, saying they've seen a decrease in overdose deaths by nearly 24%.
According to the department, its data is from the Centers for Disease Control.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all but five states
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
experienced a decline in drug overdose deaths this last year. In Oklahoma, overdose
deaths decreased by 24.02%, dropping from 1,295 in December 2023 to 984 in December
2024.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics adds to its overdose trend data when they receive a complete autopsy from the medical examiner.
As of today, the data for 2024 is not complete because the bureau is actively waiting for autopsy reports to come in. Those can take six to eight months to be completed.
Despite this, the message is still clear from both sides — Narcan is needed.
"We hear stories all the time from, from parents who used it when they found their teenager who was overdosing in their bedroom and they had Narcan at home," said Woodward. "They found one of their adult loved ones who's in their seventies or eighties with dementia, overdosing because they forgot whether they took pain medicine, and overdosed, and a loved one was able to administer it."
We reached out to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for an interview, and they did not talk on camera. Below is the statement they sent in.
ODMHSAS is dedicated to expanding access to Narcan for people and communities most vulnerable to overdose, with a focus on reaching those who may face barriers to obtaining this life-saving medication. We are prioritizing locations based on current overdose data, community need, and naloxone usage so that resources are directed where they can make the greatest impact.
Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services