BEAUMONT, Texas — UTHealth Houston has added a Narcan vending machine at Texas Treatment Services at the corner Calder Avenue and 11th Street. This machine distributes the life-saving drug for free.
According to UTHealth Houston, Beaumont EMS has responded to 57 overdose calls since January 2024.
Jefferson County falls under the health system's Integrated Community Opioid Network (ICON) initiative. The program is grant funded by the state and they have staff members in five cities, including Beaumont.
Anyone can go inside Texas Treatment Services and get the Narcan for free even if they aren't receiving treatment there.
UTHealth Program Manager Meredith O'Neal says they are seeing more cases where fentanyl is added to drugs off the street, so it's important to have a free resource.
"Fentanyl is tricky, because it is so potent that it actually takes more than one dose of Narcan to reverse the fentanyl overdose," O'Neal said. "At that point, if you're buying boxes of Narcan at your pharmacy, [It costs] $100 dollars."
O'Neal says when you administer Narcan, it's still important to call 911 or take the person to the hospital. The medicine can wear off in 30 minutes or less.
The health system also has the vending machines in Bastrop, Cleveland, Galveston and San Marcos.
The Narcan vending machine is only available during Texas Treatment Services hours, from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
O'Neal is encouraging anyone to grab the free Narcan in case of an emergency.