When Saranac Lake became the first community in the state, outside of New York City, to install a vending machine offering free Narcan, and fentanyl and xylazine test strips, no one really knew what the response would be. Turns out, it’s been overwhelming. Bianca Snide with The Alliance for Positive Health, who helped install and refills the vending machine in the lobby of the police station in Saranac Lake has had to restock it, 3 times now, in just the first month. The vending machine is stocked with Narcan, used to reverse overdoses, and test strips for Fentanyl and Xylazine that more and more are now being mixed with other drugs.
Saranac Lake Police Chief Darin Perrotte says the fact they’ve had to restock the machine several times in just a month, shows the need, and that it’s working. The Alliance for positive health has teamed up with New York Matters, a non-profit harm reduction group based in Buffalo, which has already installed 5 additional vending machines across upstate New York and has plans for 9 more, including one that’ll be operated by the Franklin County Health Department in Tupper Lake.
The vending machine in Saranac Lake is in the lobby of the Police Station, and accessible 24 hours a day. It is free, and you don’t have to provide an I-D or any personal information to get Narcan or test strips.
Learn More: www.allianceforpositivehealth.org