Vending

Georgia sheriff's office installs naloxone vending machine in detention center

Photo: desertsands - stock.adobe.com

June 10, 2025

In an initiative to combat the opioid crisis, the Newton County Sheriff's Office has installed the first Naloxone vending machine in a Georgia law enforcement facility, according to a report by The Augusta Chronicle. The machine is located at the Newton County Detention Center, approximately 40 miles east of Atlanta.

The vending machine provides free doses of Naloxone, a medication also known by the brand name Narcan, which can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. To use the machine, individuals must obtain a token from a detention center administrator.

Funding for the initiative was provided in part by a $196,800 grant from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust, which will also be used to restock the machine. The Georgia Department of Public Health's Opioid Program also contributed to the machine's purchase.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that can restore normal breathing to a person experiencing an overdose and has no effect on individuals without opioids in their system.