New York City has installed new vending machines in four of the most drug-infested areas of the city. While the machines contain easy and free access to Narcan, to help address drug overdoses, other free paraphernalia include crack pipes.
The overdose packet includes Narcan and drug-test strips to detect fentanyl.
The “Safer Smoking” kits contain a heavy stem pipe (that can be used to smoke crack and/or crystal meth), a mouthpiece and lip balm.
Other kits include condoms, tampons, nicotine gum and first-aid kits.
All of the products are free of charge.
Big Apple officials unveiled a street vending machine Monday that covers it all when it comes to catering to drug-users, offering free handy paraphernalia such as crack pipes and lip balm — and also Narcan for overdoses.
The vending machine, one of four set to be placed in some of the city’s most drug-infested neighborhoods, swaps out what would be more typical offerings such as candy bars and potato chips for the drug-related freebies to try to combat the surge in overdoses in the five boroughs, city Health Department bigs said.
“Every three hours, we’re losing a New Yorker [to drugs]. And it looks like 2022 is on track to be our highest year ever in overdoses,’’ Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said at a press conference next to the first machine, which is parked near a nonprofit aimed at offering housing and other support for those in need.
