The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), in collaboration with the 46th Ward, is launching four naloxone (Narcan®) newsstands in the Uptown community area to distribute the life-saving medication. The stands will be hosted by four community-based organizations: Nourishing Hope, Cornerstone Community Shelter, ICA Building, and the Department of Family and Supportive Services.  Launched during an outdoor Harm Reduction Fair on Wednesday, August 27 at the Department of Family & Support Services (DFSS) location in Uptown (845 W. Wilson Ave.), the newsstands are an expansion of CDPH’s harm reduction distribution plan and signify the efforts towards addressing opioid overdose injuries in Chicago. Narcan® is a safe, legal medication that reverses an opioid overdose and low-barrier access is crucial to its widespread availability and usage.  In Chicago, opioid-related EMS responses increased from under 3,000 annually in 2015 to over 13,000 in 2020. Since 2020, this number has declined, with a 20 percent decrease from 2023 to 2024. Currently, data indicates that Chicago had a 24 percent decrease in opioid-related EMS responses in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. To read more about CDPH’s work in overcoming opioids, visit: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/supp_info/behavioral-health/overcome-opioids.html

Photo Credit: Chicago Department of Public Health