Harm Reduction Vending Machine Installed at 325 Columbia Street

Columbia County Mental Health Center Director of Community Services Dan Almasi, Dual Recovery Coordinator JP Cahill of the Columbia County MentalHealth Center, and Columbia-Greene Addiction Coalition Executive Director Hannah Calhoun are pleased to announce that a Harm Reduction Vending Machine is now in place at 325 Columbia Street, Hudson.

The vending machine provides free access to Narcan, as well as fentanyl test stripsand xylazine test strips. Narcan is a medication that can quickly reverse the effectsof an opiate overdose, helping to restore breathing and be potentially lifesaving. Fentanyl (a powerful synthetic opioid) and xylazine (a sedative often used in veterinary practices) are both currently being mixed with other illicit drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, and pressed pills.

The machine will ask only for your ZIP code and year of birth, and will dispense up to three items at a time, Almasi noted. “It’s important for people to understand that no illicit substances are safe,” saidCahill. “This vending machine is part of the county’s emphasis on keeping its residents safe.” Added Calhoun, “There’s a real overlap between mental health and substance abuse. The vending machine represents one component in addressing that need.”There is also a Harm Reduction Vending Machine in place at the Mental Health Association at 713 Union Street, Hudson.

Caption: Columbia County Recovery Executive Director Hannah Calhoun and Dual Recovery Coordinator JP Cahill of the Columbia County Mental Health Association with the new Harm Reduction Vending Machine