DUBUQUE COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – Dubuque County has received approximately $1.2 million dollars from national settlements with opioid manufacturers and spent $28,500 of its share to set up two machines offering opioid overdose reversal medication for free.
The vending machines outside of the Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC), 1940 Elm Street, and the Hillcrest Family Services’ Peterson building, 2485 Wilbricht Lane, are filled with naloxone. More commonly known as Narcan, the medicine is a nasal spray, equipped with medication to reverse an opioid overdose.
“We want the community saturated with this medication because of how impactful it can be in saving a life,” says Dubuque County Public Health Project Coordinator Carissa Brown, noting the county wants naloxone to be easily accessible at all hours.
Area Substance Abuse Council Prevention Manager Christina Mensinger says the machines are intentionally placed outside to establish 24/7 access and maintain people’s anonymity.
“Individuals have inside, …