Government

Milwaukee harm reduction vending machines combat opioid crisis, gun violence

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August 13, 2024

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Sciences have expanded harm reduction vending machine efforts, according to a WISN 12 report.

Milwaukee County DHHS Behavioral Health Services installed 11 vending machines last year and is adding eight, increasing the total number of harm reduction vending machines to 19 throughout the county.

The initiative aims to combat the opioid crisis as well as gun violence in Milwaukee. The vending machines dispense harm reduction supplies such as nasal naloxone, fentanyl test strips, drug deactivation pouches, medication lock bags and gun locks.

"We must keep working as a community both upstream and downstream to prevent overdoses from opioids," Dr. Ben Weston, chief health policy advisor for Milwaukee County, told the news outlet. "Every overdose prevented, every death avoided with naloxone nasal spray, and every patient connected to resources and medication-assisted treatment brings us one step closer to recovery.