The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT San Antonio, in collaboration with the Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders and its statewide program Naloxone Texas, has installed a free naloxone vending machine to expand access to lifesaving opioid overdose reversal medication.
Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, rapidly reverses opioid overdoses. As opioid-related incidents rise across Texas and the nation, expanding access to naloxone remains a critical public health strategy to prevent overdose deaths.
Naloxone Texas is a statewide initiative working to increase access to free naloxone through multiple distribution strategies, including direct ordering at NaloxoneTexas.com and partnerships with 10 regional organizations, as well as expanded access points such as vending machines, distribution boxes and community-based supply cases. The new vending machine at UT San Antonio — located in the Lecture Hall Commons between Starbucks and the Briscoe Library at the Health Science Center — is part of this broader effort to make naloxone more readily available in communities across Texas.
“According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2024, 38% of young adults ages 18 to 25 used illicit drugs in the past year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also reports that fentanyl-related overdoses have become the leading cause of death among adults in the U.S. ages 18 to 45,” said Tara E. Karns-Wright, PhD, MS, director of Naloxone Texas and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Long School of Medicine. “These statistics underscore the importance of ensuring access to lifesaving tools like naloxone in spaces where young adults and future health workforce live, learn and gather.”
The vending machine is the first of its kind on the UT San Antonio campus. Each box in the machine is offered at no cost, provides two doses and includes easy-to-follow instructions, ensuring that individuals without prior medical training can administer naloxone effectively in an emergency.
This initiative reflects a broader collaboration between the Be Well Institute and UT San Antonio to expand access to overdose prevention resources and connect individuals to care and recovery support when needed.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the vending machine’s location and contents. Training on overdose recognition and naloxone administration are offered through the Naloxone Texas website.
“Providing immediate access to this lifesaving medication is critical in overdose prevention. We must remove barriers to empower each of us to intervene in an emergency,” says Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH, founding director of the Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders and senior executive vice president for research and innovation at UT San Antonio. “This effort reflects our unwavering commitment to the safety, health and dignity of every student, faculty, staff member and university guest. Most importantly, it sparks vital conversations about overdose prevention and risk reduction, reducing stigma and fostering a culture of care and responsibility across our campuses.”
About the Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders
The Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders at UT San Antonio and its patient-care enterprise, UT Health San Antonio, is a statewide leader in advancing research, clinical care and education to address substance use and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. The Institute encompasses a range of initiatives, including the Be Well Clinic, offering in-person and telehealth services; the Be Well Texas Provider Network, connecting individuals to treatment and recovery support across the state; Naloxone Texas, offering free statewide distribution of opioid overdose medication; the Center for Substance Use Training and Telementoring; and a robust research arm dedicated to developing and scaling evidence-based solutions. Together, the institute’s programs expand access, reduce stigma and improve outcomes for Texans affected by substance use and related disorders.
About Naloxone Texas
Naloxone Texas, an initiative of the Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders at UT San Antonio and its patient-care enterprise, UT Health San Antonio, is a statewide program working to end opioid overdose in Texas through free naloxone distribution, overdose response education, and community engagement. In partnership with state agencies and local organizations, Naloxone Texas ships life-saving medication directly to individuals, providers and communities, focusing on high-risk areas across the state. The program also offers accessible, evidence-based training on opioid overdose recognition and response and connects individuals to treatment and recovery support through the Be Well Clinic and statewide Be Well Texas Provider Network. Learn more at NaloxoneTexas.com.
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Support for this program includes:
Texas Overdose Data to Action (TODA), a program of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) under award number HHS001621600001; Texas Targeted Opioid Response, a public health initiative operated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, through federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration under grant award number H79TI085747; the 88th General Appropriations Act Texas, under House Bill 1; and the 89th General Appropriations Act Texas.