McLean County Health Department offers free access to Narcan

MCLEAN COUNTY (25News Now) – With the opioid epidemic becoming the leading cause of death for people under the age of 50 nationwide, the McLean County Health Department (MCHD) is installing a free Narcan dispenser to help reduce that number.

Narcan is the brand name for one of the most commonly used nasal sprays to temporarily reverse an opioid overdose.

In 2022, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported more than 3,000 opioid overdose deaths and thousands of nonfatal overdoses that resulted in emergency room visits.

The free Narcan unit can hold up to 50 boxes of life-saving nasal spray in an emergency.

Health leaders hope this will help overcome the stigma and barriers surrounding opioid addiction.

The unit will be located in the main entrance of the MCHD so that people can grab it anonymously.

MCHD Behavioral Health Program Manager Amy Hopper said department leaders hope it will help people just by having access to Narcan.

“We want people to be prepared. We want people to realize that an opioid overdose can happen to anyone,” Hopper said.

This unit is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

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