Richmond launches harm reduction vending machines to combat overdose deaths

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The City of Richmond is taking new steps to address the ongoing opioid crisis by installing harm reduction vending machines across the city.

The machines are part of a broader initiative following the recent launch of the city’s Office of Opioid and Substance Use Response (OOSUR).

Located at Marshall Avenue and Southside Plaza, the vending machines offer 24/7 access to free resources, including Narcan, a life-saving overdose reversal medication, and fentanyl test strips.

“This is a way that we can actually start to really try and reverse some of the harm that’s been done with this epidemic out in the community,” said Jason Alley, a policy advisor with the OOSUR.

The city partnered with Health Brigade’s Comprehensive Harm Reduction Program to determine where the machines should be placed. Alley says their team helped identify neighborhoods most impacted by overdose.

“We really leaned on them for their expertise of not just where people are using, but maybe what’s convenient for family members or other people in the community that may need access to this lifesaving drug,” Alley said.

For some Richmond residents, this initiative is deeply personal.

“The pill that my twin brother Scott took had enough fentanyl in it to kill an elephant,” said Jill Cichowicz, founder of the nonprofit 2 End The Stigma.

Cichowicz her brother Scott Zebrowski to fentanyl poisoning in 2017. Since then, she raised awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and the importance of reducing the stigma around substance use.

“There’s a little misconception and some people say, oh, Narcan enables drug use,” Cichowicz said. “And what I say back to that is, Narcan saves lives and enables living.”

Alley emphasized how easy it is to use Narcan in the event of an overdose.

“It’s just a nasal spray," he said. "You put it in one of the nostrils and push until it clicks. That administers the Naloxone."

Cichowicz said she’s grateful the city is increasing education and access to resources.

“It ends that stigma, it ends that shame, and it normalizes the need for help,” she said.

Another machine will be installed at East End Library, located at 1200 N. 25th St., later this month. The Office of Opioid and Substance Use Response plans to gather data on usage to help guide future decisions about where additional machines or resources may be needed.