NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) has installed two new naloxone vending machines and replaced a third, increasing 24-hour access to the life-saving resource. Naloxone, often referred to by the brand name Narcan, is a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Since unveiling the first naloxone vending machine at the Twice Daily on 17th Avenue North and West End Avenue in April, MPHD has distributed more than 3,168 doses of naloxone.
“The overdose crisis continues to take a toll on our community, and Narcan is an important tool in the fight against drug overdoses,” said Dr. Sanmi Areola, Metro Public Health Department Director of Health. “By making Narcan more accessible to more people who might need it, fewer of our family members, friends and neighbors will be at risk to the more serious consequences of a drug overdose.”
MPHD is now operating naloxone vending machines at the Exxon at 2200 Brick Church Pike and the Tennessee Justice Center at 155 Lafayette Street. MPHD is also replacing the naloxone vending machine at the Twice Daily at 1702 West End Avenue. It is free to dispense naloxone, which comes in a two-dose pack with instructions on its use. When used properly, naloxone can reverse the effects of an overdose triggered by opioids like Fentanyl. In addition to the naloxone vending machines, the public can pick up naloxone at any Metro Public Health Department clinic.
The annual number of fatal suspected drug overdoses in Davidson County peaked at 725 in 2021 and has declined steadily since then. During the third quarter of 2025, there were 99 suspected fatal drug overdoses in Davidson County. This represents an 18.2% reduction compared to the same time period in 2024. Of fatal overdoses in Davidson County in 2025, 69% showed the presence of Fentanyl. For more information on the overdose crisis in Nashville can be found on the 2025 Third Quarterly Drug Overdose Surveillance Update at https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2025-11/NDR_Quarterly_Report_2025_Q3.pdf?ct=1762179938.
