LANSING, Mich. — At first glance, the white box on the porch of The Fledge may look like an ordinary newspaper box, but it's what's inside that's saving lives here in Lansing.
As the sale of hard-copy newspapers declines, some of the dispensers that used to hold the periodicals are being repurposed to make it easier to get access to a life saving drug.
"It looks like a small newspaper box because that's what it was. They are there to give people easier access to Narcan," said Julia Miller with Punks with Lunch Lansing. "We have it outside The Fledge, and it's available 24/7 for folks."
The Narcan box located on the front porch of The Fledge has been outside for the last two months.
It's part of the Punks with Lunch's Harm Reduction Hub service, and it's a welcome addition to many people who are battling addiction.
"I've had my struggles with heroine in the past, and I know it's saved my life before, and I've actually used it to save other people's lives as well," said overdose survivor James Saylor.
Saylor says he keeps a couple of these boxes close by because he never knows when someone will need it.
This version of Narcan is a nasal spray and works as an opioid blocker for people who have overdosed.
Miller says one to three boxes are being picked up everyday.
"People tend to have a stigma about Narcan, about harm reduction, about substance use. I just want people to know it can happen to anybody and any demographic," said Miller.
She's is hoping the box will help to erase some of the stigma and save more people from overdoses.
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