Free Narcan Available Now in Columbus

Columbus residents can get free naloxone — commonly sold as Narcan — through a mix of city, county and state-supported distribution sites, according to public health pages and local program listings reviewed Friday. Columbus Public Health says its Alcohol and Drug Services program offers “Harm Reduction & Free Naloxone,” while the Ohio Department of Health says anyone can get a kit at no cost through Project DAWN and related programs. Franklin County programs and local pickup sites also list walk-in access in and around the city. Ohio’s overdose-response campaign says the medication can reverse an opioid overdose. ### Where can someone in Columbus pick up free Narcan right away? Columbus Public Health lists free naloxone through its Alcohol and Drug Services program at 240 Parsons Ave., according to a January 2026 city resource guide and the agency’s service page. The city page says the program includes harm reduction services, and the resource guide identifies the site as offering “Free Narcan.” (columbus.gov) Franklin County lists two Rapid Resource Centers in Columbus that provide Narcan and other harm reduction supplies. The county says the centers are at 2460 Jackson Pike, Columbus, Ohio 43223, and 2551 Fisher Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43204, with walk-in hours posted on the county website. S.A.F.E.R., a Franklin County deflection program, says residents can walk in for free naloxone and fentanyl test strips at 280 Reeb Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43207. (columbus.gov) The county says walk-ins are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Recover for Life, a Franklin County public health resource page, also lists free Narcan pickup at Jordan’s Crossing, 342 N. (franklincountyohio.gov) Hague Ave.; HOPE Resource Center, 2596 Sullivant Ave.; PEER Center East, 205 North Hamilton Road; the Whitehall Fire Department, 390 S. Yearling Rd.; and Ohio State University pharmacy sites at Doan Hall and East Hospital. The page says no prescription is required to access Narcan at those locations. (franklincountyohio.gov) ### Does someone need a prescription or special training? Recover for Life says a prescription is not required to access Narcan at the pickup locations on its list. The Ohio Department of Health says Project DAWN is an overdose education and naloxone distribution network, and the program includes training on recognizing overdose symptoms, calling emergency medical services and administering intranasal naloxone. (recoverforlife.myfcph.org) Ohio’s naloxone access page says local distribution sites can be found through the Project DAWN dashboard, though availability depends on funding. The state also directs residents to an interactive map for naloxone and other harm reduction resources. ### Why is Ohio pushing wider naloxone access? The Ohio Department of Health says naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose and that “anyone can get a kit at no cost.” The state’s OH Against OD campaign says there were 4,452 unintentional drug overdose deaths in Ohio in 2023. (recoverforlife.myfcph.org) Columbus Public Health says the Columbus and Franklin County Addiction Plan is a collaborative effort led by the city to address the opiate crisis in central Ohio. (naloxone.ohio.gov) The agency says the plan works to decrease overdoses, overdose deaths and the spread of infectious diseases through targeted interventions and other programs. (odh.ohio.gov) ### What should someone do in an overdose emergency? Ohio’s overdose campaign says people should get medical assistance as soon as possible and call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. The same state page says 988 is available for 24/7 crisis support, and 1-800-662-HELP is available for treatment referral. Project DAWN says its training covers rescue breathing, contacting emergency medical services and administering intranasal naloxone. (columbus.gov) That means the state’s free-kit network is tied to both distribution and overdose-response instruction, according to the program description. ### Where should residents check before they go? (odh.ohio.gov) The Ohio Department of Health says the Project DAWN dashboard is the state’s main tool for finding naloxone and other harm reduction resources by county or site. Franklin County and Columbus Public Health also post addresses, phone numbers and walk-in hours on their program pages, and Recover for Life maintains a pickup-location list for sites around Columbus. (odh.ohio.gov) Friday’s public listings showed Columbus-area access points at Parsons Avenue, Reeb Avenue, Jackson Pike, Fisher Road, Hague Avenue, Sullivant Avenue and North Hamilton Road, along with Whitehall and Ohio State sites. Residents can confirm current hours and stock through the state dashboard or the individual program pages before making a trip. (franklincountyohio.gov) (naloxone.ohio.gov)