Walk-up anonymous medical aid kits designed to prevent drug overdoses have been introduced across high-risk areas in Georgia over the past year. Several of these kits have been placed in Macon, providing free life-saving tools such as naloxone (Narcan), fentanyl test strips, and CPR masks. The goal is to offer quick access to overdose prevention supplies without barriers.

The initiative is led by overdose prevention groups, including Georgia Overdose Prevention and Macon Recovers, a local addiction support center working with River Edge Behavioral Health. As of now, Georgia has 47 distribution sites statewide, with four located in Macon-Bibb County, according to Start Healing Now, a volunteer-based organization. These boxes are positioned near businesses, churches, low-income housing, and other areas where overdoses are more likely to occur.

Hannah Baker, a Macon Recovers supervisor and long-term recovery advocate, explained that the bins are refilled twice a week and are consistently emptied, signifying community use. “We want them to be empty. We want them in people’s hands and being used,” Baker said during a Narcan training on October 15.

Each box contains detailed instructions for handling an overdose, along with Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses opioid overdoses. The kits are designed for public access, allowing anyone to take supplies anonymously to reduce barriers and fear of tracking.

The effort comes amid rising concerns about drug overdose deaths in Georgia. According to the North Central Health District, overdose fatalities in Macon-Bibb County have increased between 2022 and 2023, aligning with national trends. Fentanyl remains the leading cause of drug-related deaths in the U.S., contributing to more than 75,000 of the 108,000 overdose deaths in 2023, as noted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Efforts like these are crucial in light of the ongoing fentanyl crisis, which continues to devastate communities across the country. With the opioid crisis’ costs exceeding $1.5 trillion in 2020 alone, advocates believe that local initiatives like these aid kits can save lives and alleviate some of the crisis’ impact.