New York City has installed vending machines offering free crack pipes and fentanyl test strips, among other items, as part of a public health initiative to combat the opioid overdose crisis in the city. The vending machines, which cost $11,000 to install, aim to reduce overdose deaths by 15% by 2025. However, critics have raised concerns that the machines are enabling drug use, rather than addressing the root cause of the problem. The vending machine proved popular as it emptied within 24 hours of being installed. The machine is stocked with a ‘safe smoking kit’ produced by Smoke Works Pipes which critics have claimed is harmful.
