New York City officials yesterday proudly unveiled their latest offering to residents – a free, ‘public health’ vending machine dishing out crack pipes, the overdose-reversing drug Narcan and fentanyl test strips.
The machine in Brownsville, Brooklyn, is the first of its kind in New York. The city’s Democrats hailed it as a watershed, public health moment, calling a press conference to tout their initiative and promise more down the line.
To access the machine’s contents, residents simply need to punch in the right zip code.
Then, they’ll have free access to the strips, Narcan, condoms, tampons, nicotine-gum, first aid kits and the ‘safer smoking kits’, sanitary pads, Vitamin C and COVID-19 tests.
New York City officials yesterday proudly unveiled their latest offering to residents – a free, safe drug-use vending machine dishing out crack pipes, the overdose-reversing drug Narcan and fentanyl test strips
First aid kits containing Narcan and nasal spray are also on offer for free
A ‘safer smoking kit’ containing a heavy stem, mouthpiece, pusher, 6 screens, chore filter and lip balm for people wanting to smoke crack
The kits, produced by SmokeWorksPipes.com, contain a ‘heavy stem, mouthpiece, pusher, 6 screens, chore filter and lip balm’. While this machine doesn’t contain them, NYC officials say they’ll add syringes soon.
They may be free for residents – but each machine will cost the city $11,000. It’s unclear how many are planned.
‘We are in the midst of an overdose crisis in our city, which is taking a fellow New Yorker from us every three hours and is a major cause of falling life expectancy in NYC. But we will continue to fight to keep our neighbors and loved ones alive with care, compassion and action.
‘We’ll leave no stone unturned until we reverse the trends in opioid-related deaths in our city,’ health commissioner Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said proudly yesterday.
Elan Quashie (blue patterned shirt), the Opioid Overdose Prevention Program Director, gave a demo to locals yesterday
Rose Meredith uses a new vending machine in Brooklyn that will disperse fentanyl test strips and naloxone as well as hygiene kits, maxi pads, Vitamin C, and COVID-19 tests
Safe smoking kits, first aid kits, condoms, fentanyl test strips and Narcan are all on offer for free
But some city residents and Republicans are aghast that their tax dollars are being spent on facilitating drug use.
‘This my friends is another reason Democratic run cities are hell holes!
‘Get your free crack pipes courtesy of tax payers!! Insanity!!! NYC vending machine offers free Narcan, drug-test strips,’ said one.
‘What could go wrong?’ said another.
‘I guess no one eats candy bars anymore… Remember when Narcan was supposed to be used only by trained professionals?’ asked another jaded New Yorker.
‘These people are morons. They give away crack pipes, needles will be next, and Narcan.
‘How about just give away the Narcan and not the crack pipe and needles? another fumed.
Outrage: Many New Yorkers called it a waste of tax dollars
