Vending

Wisconsin county expands harm reduction vending machines to 2 more communities

Image courtesy Dane County Government

October 15, 2026

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Dane County, Wisconsin, has installed two additional harm reduction vending machines in Sun Prairie and Stoughton to expand access to naloxone and other potentially lifesaving supplies, according to a press release.

County Executive Melissa Agard announced the installations Oct. 13, with one machine located outside the Sunshine Place community resource hub in Sun Prairie and the other near the emergency department entrance at Stoughton Health. The machines dispense naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, along with other harm reduction and personal care products.

The installations expand a county program that already includes two vending machines in Madison operated by Dane County Emergency Management, along with three machines maintained by other agencies. According to county officials, machines outside the emergency departments at UW Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital have distributed nearly 1,200 packages of naloxone since April 2025. Officials selected the locations after reviewing emergency medical service responses to suspected opioid overdoses and identifying communities where additional resources could be beneficial.

The equipment was purchased using county opioid settlement funds. Dane County's four machines are maintained by settlement-funded employees who work with community partners to stock supplies, including feminine hygiene products and gun locks. Officials said the expansion is intended to make overdose prevention resources more accessible outside Madison while reducing barriers for residents seeking assistance.