A Message from Commissioner Johnson on 2020 Free Naloxone Distribution - 9/24-26

Dear Friends:

This has been a challenging year for all New Jerseyans, especially our friends, family members and neighbors who struggle with addiction. The opioid epidemic remains an ongoing challenge in our State. NJ Human Services is continuing to look to find innovative ways to save lives, connect individuals to treatment, and help individuals sustain their path to recovery.

To help in this fight, Governor Murphy and I recently announced that the State of New Jersey will offer the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone – commonly called Narcan – for free to residents at participating pharmacies throughout New Jersey from September 24th through 26th.

New Jerseyans can visit participating pharmacies and obtain naloxone for free with no name needed, no prescription and no appointment.

Free naloxone will be available at 322 pharmacies, including several locations of Acme, CVS, Rite Aid, Sav-On, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Walgreens, Walmart, Weis Markets and independent pharmacies. For participating pharmacies, please visit nj.gov/humanservices/stopoverdoses.

This is all about saving lives. We urge everyone to visit a participating pharmacy to get this overdose reversal drug for free so that we are all ready to help save a life.

Attached to this email are posters and social media graphics to help promote the free distribution. We hope that you will post the posters in your facilities and in your community and share the social media graphics to help encourage residents to get free naloxone.

Thank you for joining us in this effort. We know that together we can make a difference.

Sincerely,

Carole Johnson
Commissioner of Human Services