By Shirleen Guerra
The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Richmond has installed its first city-run harm reduction vending machines, offering 24/7 access to free Narcan, fentanyl test strips and hygiene supplies in neighborhoods hardest hit by overdoses.
The machines are part of a new initiative led by the city’s Office of Opioid and Substance Use Response (OOSUR), which launched earlier this month to coordinate addiction response, recovery services and harm reduction programs across Richmond.
Each machine is stocked with naloxone (Narcan), which can reverse opioid overdoses, as well as personal hygiene items and fentanyl test strips.
“This life-saving program is about meeting people where they are, with compassion and dignity,” Mayor Danny Avula said in a city release. “Harm reduction vending machines are a proven tool to prevent overdose deaths and connect individuals with the support they need.”
The first two machines are now operational at Marshall Plaza (900 E. Marshall St.) and Southside Plaza (4100 Hull St.). A third machineis scheduled to be installed later this month at East End Library (1200 N. 25th St.). Additional units may be added later this year based on community data and feedback, according to the city.
Key features of the machines include:
- Free, anonymous access to supplies
- Round-the-clock availability
- QR codes linking to local recovery and treatment services
- Strategic placement in areas most affected by overdose
Anna Jones, the city’s newly hired Opioid Response Strategist, said the machines are intended not just to distribute supplies, but to reduce stigma and serve as “a bridge to care, to hope, and to healing.”
Richmond reported 297 overdose deaths in 2023, with 270 involving opioids, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
The launch comes as Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration reports a 34.1% statewide drop in fatal overdoses compared to the year before. The administration credits increased access to naloxone, tougher laws on dealers and coordination with federal enforcement for the decline.
