ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allentown has installed two naloxone distribution boxes at strategic locations to provide emergency overdose treatment at high-traffic intersections. Early results show the program is already saving lives.
The free naloxone stations, accessible 24 hours a day, are located at the intersection of 9th and Linden streets and 7th and Chew Street. The city chose sites based on data showing a high frequency of overdose incidents in these areas.
“These two locations were picked to be able to have easy access,” said David Synnamon, Director at the Allentown Health Bureau, in an interview Friday.
Naloxone, also known by the brand name “Narcan”, is a fast-acting medication that immediately reverses the effects of opioid overdoses by temporarily blocking opioids from binding to brain receptors.
The medication can save lives not only in intentional drug use situations but also in accidental overdoses, such as when children accidentally ingest prescription medications or elderly individuals inadvertently take an extra dose of their pain medication.
The initiative represents a new approach for the city in addressing the opioid crisis and marks Allentown’s first permanent public naloxone distribution system.
According to city officials, the boxes have been in place for approximately three weeks.
In that short time, the program has already demonstrated its life-saving potential. “One person overdosed directly under one of the pole boxes within the first 24 hours that they were installed and was saved, as was another person two weeks later,” said Beth Love, Opioid Prevention Manager for the City of Allentown.
Love reported that the distribution boxes have seen significant use, with nearly 60 boxes of naloxone distributed between the two locations in the past month. “We are fighting the good fight!” she added, expressing pride in the city’s initiative.
The program’s funding comes from opioid lawsuit settlement funds that municipalities across the country received over the past several years.
According to Synnamon, the settlement money will continue to be distributed over the next 15 years.
The Health Bureau has partnered with Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Services, which has provided quantities of naloxone for the distribution boxes. The partnership builds on the city’s existing outreach programs for the opioid crisis.
Users can access the naloxone by opening the box and taking the medication.
No forms or identification are required, making the service completely anonymous. “Anyone can use it,” Synnamon said, noting that everyone should have naloxone “either in their home or on their person or in their vehicle.”
Recent data show the impact of naloxone distribution on overdose deaths. According to Synnamon, accidental drug deaths in Lehigh County have dropped significantly, from 157 in 2023 to 102 in all of 2024.
This data represents approximately a 35% decrease from peak years, mirroring a nationwide trend.
“The widespread distribution and use of naloxone contributed to that,” Synnamon said, attributing the reduction in fatal overdoses to increased public access to the life-saving medication.
The city is tracking the number of naloxone doses distributed through the stations to monitor the program’s effectiveness.
If the pilot proves successful and data identifies other high-need areas, city officials have not ruled out expanding the program to additional locations.
“With more available education, lowering stigma and increasing community connection, together we will rise!” Love said, emphasizing the broader goals of the city’s opioid response efforts.
For more information about overdose prevention and other Health Bureau programs, residents can call 610-437-7760 or visit allentownpa.gov.
