New Jersey City Deploys Free Naloxone Kiosks Around the Clock to Combat Overdose Deaths
Why It Matters
New Jersey’s opioid crisis continues to claim lives across all 21 counties, and access to overdose-reversal medication remains a critical gap — particularly during evenings and weekends when treatment centers are closed. In Paterson, a community-led effort is placing free naloxone directly on street corners, putting life-saving tools within reach of anyone who needs them.
What Happened
Black Lives Matter Paterson has installed five self-serve kiosks throughout the city, stocking each with free boxes of naloxone — the medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. The kiosks operate around the clock, filling a gap left by the organization’s two harm reduction centers, which are open only Monday through Friday.
Precious Kirby, the group’s community education and communications director, noted that the need does not respect business hours. “We have two centers but they are only Monday through Friday, and unfortunately addiction doesn’t stop at certain hours,” Kirby said.
The kiosks are positioned in high-traffic areas, including one near a convenience store in Paterson’s 4th Ward. Community specialists canvass surrounding neighborhoods to educate residents on overdose prevention and how to administer naloxone in an emergency. The program emphasizes peer-to-peer care — equipping community members to assist one another when professional help is unavailable.
A sixth kiosk location is currently in development. Demand has already outpaced supply at the newest site, with at least one kiosk emptied within its first week of operation. Each unit holds approximately 50 boxes of naloxone.
By the Numbers
- 107 — fatal opioid and illicit drug overdoses recorded in Paterson in 2024
- 8th — Passaic County’s ranking among New Jersey’s 21 counties for unintentional fatal overdoses in 2024
- 5 kiosks currently deployed across Paterson, with a sixth planned
- 700+ participating pharmacies statewide offer free naloxone to anyone 14 or older, anonymously
- 2,900+ overdose deaths recorded in New Jersey in 2022, with declines continuing through 2024
Zoom Out
Nationally, overdose deaths peaked at roughly 110,000 in 2022 and have fallen for three consecutive years, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provisional data. By 2025, that figure dropped nearly 15 percent to approximately 70,000 — a decline public health officials attribute to broader naloxone distribution, expanded treatment access, and more harm reduction programming.
Not all states are following the trend. Deaths increased in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico during the same period. Experts also warn that as fentanyl supply chains are disrupted, new and dangerous chemical additives are appearing in street drug supplies, complicating overdose response efforts. Harm reduction specialists in Paterson echoed that concern, noting that many users are unaware their drugs contain fentanyl or other adulterants.
New Jersey has broadly tracked the national decline. Overdose fatalities fell across all racial and ethnic groups between 2022 and 2023 — the first time such a uniform decline had been recorded in a decade — and continued falling through 2024. A statewide naloxone initiative launched under the prior administration has been carried forward by Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who took office in January and has proposed maintaining funding for the program. The state’s Naloxone Direct program supplies free doses to community organizations, libraries, shelters, and first responders, in addition to the pharmacy network.
The strain on public health resources coincides with broader fiscal pressures. A recent report warned that looming Medicaid cuts could further jeopardize health and education outcomes for New Jersey’s most vulnerable children, potentially compounding the challenges faced by communities already dealing with substance use disorders.
What’s Next
Black Lives Matter Paterson is actively scouting a location for its sixth naloxone kiosk as it works to extend coverage throughout the city. The organization plans to continue neighborhood canvassing alongside the kiosk program to ensure residents understand how to use the medication effectively.
At the state level, continued funding for naloxone access and harm reduction infrastructure will depend on budget negotiations in Trenton. Federal Medicaid policy decisions in Washington could also affect the broader network of services that supports addiction treatment and recovery in New Jersey, adding uncertainty to a public health effort that has shown measurable results.