Howard County expands access to naloxone as overdose deaths drop 62% over 5 years

Howard County is expanding access to the overdose-reversing drug naloxone in an effort to continue its progress in reducing overdose deaths. 

In the past five years, fatal overdoses in the county have declined by nearly 62%, with 26 deaths recorded in 2021, compared to 10 recorded in 2025, data from the county shows. 

Data from the Maryland Department of Health shows there were 20 overdose deaths between June 2025 and May 2026, including 13 fatal opioid overdoses and 12 overdose deaths involving fentanyl. 

During that time, first responders administered naloxone to 163 people. In 2025, 2351 doses of naloxone were distributed in the county, data shows. 

New naloxone vending machines 

On Tuesday, Howard County health officials installed two naloxone vending machines, which provide round-the-clock, anonymous access to the overdose-reversing medication. 

The vending machine will offer two-dose boxes of naloxone and other hygiene and personal safety tools, including fentanyl test strips, xylazine, barbiturates, condoms and medetomidine. The machine will also feature a QR code leading users to immediate naloxone training and treatment resources. 

The naloxone vending machines were placed in the following locations using the county's substance use data and overdose risk map:

• On the right side of the front entrance to Grassroots Day Resource Center at Leola Dorsey, 10390 Guilford Road in Jessup

• On the right-side entrance to the Howard County Health Department at 8930 Stanford Boulevard in Columbia, under the green Environmental Health awning near Silverman Treatment Solutions.

"This vending machine investment will help lower the barriers of stigma, cost, and access to these essential resources, said Howard County Health Officer Dr. Maura Rossman. "We want to provide people with a safe place to get naloxone, test strips, and other safe choice materials, while also providing information on how to get help when they are ready."

Each of the items inside the vending machines is free. Individuals will be asked to provide basic information about their demographics for internal data collection. 

Find more information on the naloxone vending machines or find substance use resources here.