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In the NoCo

Why Boulder’s new ‘harm reduction' vending machine just might save a life

A white vending machine sits in the lobby of a Boulder building. It's a harm reduction vending machine that dispenses items like Narcan, drug testing strips, wound care kits, and condoms, which you can see through the window of the machine. The sponsor logos at the bottom of the machine say 'Boulder Community Health," "Clinica Family Health," and "Mental Health Partners."
Courtesy of Boulder Community Health
"Research shows that that harm reduction works," says Amanda Wroblewski with Boulder Community Health. She helped set up a vending machine in the lobby of the Beacon Center for Infectious Diseases in Boulder. It dispenses items including drug testing strips, condoms, and nalaxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, at no cost.

A new vending machine opened for business recently in Boulder.

Instead of snacks or soda, customers who visit the machine can grab safe containers for needles ... fentanyl testing strips... or condoms. And all the items are free.

Health officials call it a "harm reduction" vending machine. It’s funded by restitution money from lawsuits against manufacturers of prescription opioids. Supporters hope it reduces the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and helps prevent overdoses.

Amanda Wroblewski with Boulder Community Health works with people who deal with opioid addiction and chronic pain. She helped set up the machine, which is the first of its kind in the Boulder area.

Amanda spoke with host Erin O’Toole about the vending machine, which opened to the public in November.

Amanda Wroblewski, a woman with long brown hair and wearing a black and gray shirt, smiles in a photo. Amanda is a Licensed Social Worker with Boulder Community Health who helped install the area's first harm reduction vending machine.
Courtesy of Amanda Wroblewski / Boulder Community Health

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.