Published: 09/21/2026 | Author: Eric Owens

The first weeks after release from jail contains a high opioid overdose from relapse. A new study on the vending machine naloxone program in the L.A. County Jail system shows the promise and the limits of handing out meds right as former inmates walk out the door.

To be sure, people in California have a wide range of options from inpatient care to signing up with community Narcotics Anonymous chapters. Overdose numbers have fallen countywide, but incarcerated folks don’t have as many options, and that’s where naloxone comes into play.

Researchers followed 528 justice-involved adults leaving the Los Angeles County Jail from December 2022 to December 2025. About 20% took naloxone from a no-cost vending machine at release and 27% watched an overdose education video. Harm reduction advocates have concluded that the machines work, but not nearly well enough yet.

The First Days After Release

Folks leaving incarceration face much higher risks of opioid overdose, especially right after they walk out. That’s because tolerance drops during time inside and just one dose of drugs like fentanyl can quickly overwhelm the system. Someone who used regularly before arrest can overdose on a fraction of their former dose in the first days home, often in the first hours.

Naloxone-on-release programs exist to close that gap. Under these programs, jail release areas stock vending machines that dispense naloxone, the medication that reverses opioid overdose, at no cost and no questions. The Los Angeles program also adds an overdose education video.

Study Results

The research team was led by Alejandra Herrera of California State University Bakersfield with colleagues from USC, the University of Nevada Reno and UC San Diego used time-location sampling in jail release areas. Participants completed a baseline survey at release covering video viewing, naloxone uptake, and personal characteristics.

Uptake of naloxone linked to overdose history and kept many people alive. People with recent use or prior overdose were more likely to take it, which can save their life should they go back to drugs. Uptake didn’t differ by race or gender. 

Notably, watching the video didn’t predict taking naloxone.

The team concluded that vending machines are a low-barrier way to distribute naloxone at release. Just watching a video doesn’t pull its weight, and programs can take this to heart when formulating new programs.

Helping Those Who Use Opioids

Two practical takeaways. First, no-cost access matters. Every barrier removed like cost, paperwork, face-to-face contact with staff and stigma raises the share of people who carry naloxone. Second, the reverse is also true as 81% of people released in this study walked out without naloxone in hand. 

There’s no reason to wait for a program to come to you. Naloxone is available over the counter, through syringe service programs and from harm reduction organizations in most California communities.

Naloxone is only the first step. Treatment matters, and people coming home from incarceration can immediately keep the momentum going by starting or restarting care, including medication for opioid use disorder to cut relapse rates dramatically.

NA For All People

Narcotics Anonymous meetings run throughout Los Angeles County. They’re free, anonymous and open to anyone who wants to stop using drugs. 

Peer support welcomes folks regardless of their backgrounds. Start by browsing our directory for NA meetings anywhere in the country. You can also dial 800-934-1582(Sponsored) for opioid addiction treatment options.