Government

Colorado county releases naloxone kiosk impact report

Giovanni Cancemi - stock.adobe.com

July 8, 2026

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Colorado's Mesa County Public Health department has released its first annual Naloxone Kiosk Impact Report, highlighting the success of its public naloxone distribution program since launching in December 2024.

The report revealed that more than 9,500 naloxone kits have been distributed through the county's free-access kiosks, averaging 17 kits per day. Health officials said the program has received strong community support, with residents reporting that the medication has already been used to save lives.

The report stated overdose deaths in Mesa County have more than tripled since the early 2000s. Nearly 200 residents died from overdoses between 2020 and 2024, with 82% of those deaths classified as unintentional. The kiosks provide anonymous, no-cost access to naloxone without requiring identification, paperwork or payment, helping reduce barriers and stigma associated with obtaining the overdose-reversal medication.

It also cites a national study estimating that every $1 invested in community naloxone distribution programs generates $2,742 in savings by preventing overdose deaths and reducing healthcare costs.

Mesa County Public Health has expanded the program by adding five new kiosk locations, bringing the total to 17 across the county. The kiosks are strategically placed in areas where they can have the greatest impact, making naloxone more accessible to residents and bystanders responding to overdose emergencies. The agency credited its partnership with the Western Colorado Area Health Education Center for helping maintain, restock and monitor the kiosks as the program continues to grow.