Photo: STEFANI REYNOLDS / AFP / Getty Images
The Broward Sheriff's Office is offering free naloxone vending machines inside jail facilities to reverse an opioid overdose and potentially save a life. BSO's Executive Director Community Programs, David Scharf, says inmates are given two doses of Narcan when they are released because they presumably have been clean behind bars and are more susceptible to an overdose.
Narcan quickly counteracts the effects of an overdose from heroin, fentanyl or prescription opioids. Each vending machine contains free doses of nasal spray with directions on how to use it.
“The goal of this new initiative is to save lives, plain and simple,” Broward Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony said. “By providing access to this medication I hope that individuals leaving our jails who are struggling with addiction are equipped with a vital tool to possibly save their life or the life of a loved one. BSO will continue to create and invest in innovative ways to safeguard and protect this community.”
The vending machines were paid for through a grant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Florida Department of Health.