The District is trying to fight the city’s opioid overdose epidemic by dispensing Narcan at vending machines.

A pilot program is putting Narcan, a nasal spray of the overdose-stopping medication naloxone, in four vending machines in the city. Another two vending machines will be added to the program, city officials said.

In cooperation with the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, three vending machines were placed outside firehouses across the district.

The locations for the four Narcan vending machines are:

• Engine #7, 1101 Half St. SW.

• Engine #33, 101 Atlantic St. SE.

• Engine #27, 4260 Minnesota Ave. NE.

The fourth vending machine is located at the Whitman Walker Health Center at 2301 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE.

D.C. health officials did not specify where the remaining two Narcan vending machines will be installed.

The machines also vend fentanyl test strips to detect the deadly synthetic opioid.

For those unable to reach a vending machine or other place providing Narcan, the drug may soon be available over the counter at stores. On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the nasal spray for use without a prescription.

“Today’s approval of OTC naloxone nasal spray will help improve access to naloxone, increase the number of locations where it’s available and help reduce opioid overdose deaths throughout the country. We encourage the manufacturer to make accessibility to the product a priority by making it available as soon as possible and at an affordable price,” said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.