New naloxone vending machines popping up across Denver in effort to save lives

By Jasmine Arenas

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    DENVER (KCNC) — Since its pilot launch in April 2025, the vending machine outside the Stout Street Health Center has dispensed over 1,100 Naloxone kits in roughly 720 interactions. The machine is part of a broader effort to tackle the opioid crisis in Denver.

A year after launching the “leave-behind” program in April 2024, over 2,400 Naloxone kits — often referred to as “Narcan” — have been distributed by first responders, including Fire, EMS, Police, and STAR teams across the city and county.

Denver leaders are now expanding the initiative to include Narcan vending machines, which will soon be installed outside police stations, offering a potentially life-saving tool in the fight against opioid and fentanyl overdoses.

The vending machines, which resemble typical dispensers but provide free Naloxone instead of snacks or drinks, are designed to be easily accessible.

“What’s really important about these machines is that they’re low-barrier, and they’re going in places where they’re easily accessible,” said Joshua Jacoves, program director of The Naloxone Project. “These are lifesaving tools in the right place at the right time.”

Joshua Jacoves, program director of The Naloxone Project, shows off a naloxone vending machine like those that will be placed around Denver police stations in an effort to reverse opioid and fentanyl overdoses.

In just 50 days, the pilot machine at the Stout Street Clinic has dispensed more than 1,000 kits, with restocks each week due to high demand. Each kit potentially saves a life.

Jacoves says stories from people on the streets show how urgent the need is. “Every time we restock, we hear stories from people who have been impacted,” he said.

While the program has proven effective, it’s not just about numbers. “The lives saved are measurable, but second chances are what we’re here for,” Jacoves added.

With funding from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and the Denver Opioid Abatement Council, the Naloxone Project aims to reduce overdose deaths through proactive harm reduction. Between June 2023 and June 2024, Colorado saw 20.5 opioid-related deaths per 100,000 residents.

Jacoves emphasized that the program is not about enabling drug use but about providing critical help to those in need.

“AEDs don’t encourage heart attacks just like Naloxone doesn’t encourage drug overdoses,” he said.

As the pilot program gains momentum, Denver leaders hope the new Narcan vending machines will help save even more lives. The machines are expected to be placed near three Denver Police Department stations as soon as next week.

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