Montana to Invest $400k to Quickly Treat Opioid Overdose

With the increase in use, fatalities from opioid and fentanyl overdose have also risen.  To promptly deal with emergency adverse reactions, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte announced an investment of $400,000 to install two dozen kiosks to distribute Naloxone and test strips for fentanyl.

Each machine will be placed specifically for greatest use and easiest access by those who will need it.  Six locations for the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) programs will receive a kiosk each.  Eight operating drop-in centers will receive one each with available staff to provide ongoing support.  The remaining ten will be installed at new drop-in centers now in the procurement process.

Each machine costs $15,000 for a total outlay of $360,000.  Administrative costs will take up $40,000.

How serious is the need?

Very.

According to the Govenor's press release, before 2020 there were around eight overdose deaths each year.  In 2023, 123 lost their lives to opioids and 93 to fentanyl.  EMS personnel responded to 969 calls for opioid overdose, averaging 81 a month.

In that same year, over three million fentanyl pills were seized in drug busts in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.  How much more had successfully circulated within these states?

How effective will these vending machines be?

Considerably.

Of those nearly a thousand calls, Naloxone was administered to about 40% of the patients with an 81% favorable response.

314 people who were in medical crisis had recovered well due to the Naloxone in 2023.

And the fentanyl test strips are an ounce of prevention to save lives.

Is each person worth the $15,000 price of a kiosk?  I say yes and more.  Seems we need more of them.

Maybe Private Enterprise can help

24 of these machines is a good start.  Every town in the state needs one just in case.  Since the state allocation will only go so far, perhaps businesses and non-profits should jump into this endeavor.  The kiosk near you can say "This life-saving dispensary was brought to you by...."

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