Townhall II Integrated Health Network wants the community to know it now operates free Harm Reduction Vending Machines at its offices in Kent, at 155 N. Water St, and now in Ravenna at 512 N. Chestnut St. Both machines are accessible to the public during regular business hours.
The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County provides funding to keep the machines stocked with harm reduction supplies, which now include Xylazine test strips in addition to:
Fentanyl test strips
Naloxone (Narcan)
Deterra drug deactivation and disposal kits
Condoms
Pregnancy test kits
First aid kits
Hygiene kits
And more.
“Xylazine is becoming a bigger problem in Portage County, so it is important for us to address it by providing access to the test strips,” said Tamera Hunter, CEO of Townhall II.
Xylazine is known by street names such as “tranq” or “tranq dope.” It is a powerful non-opioid sedative, analgesic and muscle relaxant approved for veterinary use, but not human use. The drug can cause dangerously low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, severe central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing and extreme sedation that can last for several hours. Continued use of xylazine can lead to painful and difficult-to-treat skin wounds, ulcers and abscesses that can appear anywhere on the body, regardless of whether the drug is injected, snorted or smoked. These wounds can lead to serious infections, necrosis, and in severe cases, amputations.
Because xylazine is not an opioid, its effects cannot be reversed by Narcan, which is an opioid reversal medication. However, since xylazine is often mixed with opioids and/or fentanyl, it is recommended Narcan be administered in any overdose situation since Narcan does not have negative impacts to non-opioid related use.
“We hate to see what is happening to our communities with xylazine and fentanyl,” says Hunter. “The community needs to be educated about the new dangers that xylazine is presenting. By providing these test strips, which are coming from the Ohio Department of Health, we hope that we can save some lives and prevent some tragedies in our community.”
Townhall II is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit, charitable agency providing integrated health services to Portage County, Ohio and the surrounding areas. The agency, incorporated in 1971, promotes the health, wellness and recovery of individuals and communities through prevention, education, advocacy intervention and treatment. As a part of its services, the agency runs a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week Crisis Helpline at 330-678-HELP (4357), and is the designated helpline for the 988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline in Portage County.
