Third NARCAN® vending machine installed to broaden community access

Minneapolis has installed the City's third NARCAN® vending machine at Fire Station 5 (2700 Bloomington Ave. S.) - expanding an innovative initiative designed to confront the fentanyl epidemic and reduce deadly overdoses. Fire Station 5 is one of two Minneapolis stations responding to the highest number of overdose calls in the city. The station serves the Midtown Phillips, East Phillips, Corcoran and Powderhorn Park neighborhoods.

The new vending machine, which offers free NARCAN kits containing two doses each, builds on the success of two existing locations, which have distributed more than 6,000 doses of NARCAN since the initiative began last year. The program is led by the Minneapolis Health Department in partnership with Hennepin County and the Minneapolis Fire Department.

"Every life lost to an overdose is preventable - and we're treating it that way. This third NARCAN vending machine is part of our citywide strategy to make life-saving tools more accessible, more visible, and more integrated," said Mayor Jacob Frey. "By installing a third machine, we're sending a clear message: harm reduction saves lives, and Minneapolis is all in."

History of harm reduction vending machines

A May 2025 systematic review published in the Harm Reduction Journal found harm reduction vending machines effectively reach their intended audiences and help reduce risks associated with substance use. They have been a tool used internationally for years, with over 35 states having a harm reduction machine program. The vending machines provide a low-barrier, accessible option for populations that are difficult to reach, including youth, by offering free and anonymous access.

"The Station 5 vending machine was installed in response to a community need and now community members who need NARCAN have free, full-time access to this life-saving medication," said Heidi Ritchie, Deputy Commissioner of Health, City of Minneapolis. "One of the goals of our Opioid Response Team are to mitigate harm using an equitable and stigma-free approach. Vending machines contribute to that goal."

The three vending machines are free to community members with no questions asked. Minneapolis vending machines have been installed to provide full-time, anonymous access in communities with a high amount of substance misuse and overdose. Fire stations were chosen as locations because they are trusted, centrally located community hubs that offer 24/7 public access.

"The Minneapolis Fire Department is proud that we can continue to play a vital role in the fight against the opioid epidemic by hosting the NARCAN machine at Fire Station 5. We are confident that the NARCAN machine at this location will be a much-needed resource for our neighbors and the surrounding community," said Bryan Tyner, Minneapolis Fire Chief.

Minneapolis NARCAN vending machines

Minneapolis NARCAN vending machines are located at:

The three Minneapolis machines:

• Provide 24-hour access and are located outside
• Contain more than 100 boxes of NARCAN, each holding two doses, and restocked weekly

Watch our video and learn how to use a NARCAN vending machine.

Additional resources