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The City of Racine Public Health Department offers its residents of and visitors to Racine a wide range of services and information to improve health and wellbeing. The Department’s three Divisions—Community Health, Environmental Health, and Laboratory Services—work to achieve the vision of healthy people, a healthy environment, and a healthy community.

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Harm Reduction & Prevention

Drug & Opioid Overdoses

Drug overdoses, especially those involving opioids like fentanyl or heroin, present a public health crisis in Racine and across the United States. These powerful drugs have led to a sharp rise in overdose deaths, straining healthcare, law enforcement, and support systems. The widespread presence of fentanyl, often mixed with other substances, makes drug use increasingly dangerous and deadly. Addressing this crisis requires urgent action, including access to treatment, harm reduction efforts, and public education.

Drug and Opioid Overdose Data

Local Data

The City of Racine is experiencing similar trends in drug and opioid overdoses when compared to Racine County, Wisconsin, and the United States as a whole. From 2020 through 2023 in the City of Racine:

More than 112 individuals lost their life to a drug overdose.
Of those deaths, 86% (or 96 people) died due to an opioid.
More than 95% of opioid-related deaths specifically involved fentanyl. That is 91 lives lost due—at least in part—to fentanyl.
The annual total of opioid-related deaths increased by more than 93%. Fentanyl-involved deaths increased by over 130% over the same time period.

Statewide and National Data and Resources

The drug and opioid overdose epidemic continues to be a public health crisis both locally and nationally. In the United States:

Six times as many individuals died from a drug overdose in 2021 compared to 1999.
Nearly 107,000 people died of a drug overdose death in 2021, and over 75% of those deaths involved an opioid.
Drug overdose deaths decreased in 2023 (for the first time in five years) and again in 2024. However, it is estimated that more than 80,000 people died in 2024 from overdose.

More resources for statewide and national drug overdose data:

What Is Being Done

The Public Health Department and other local partners have a number of initiatives underway to combat the opioid epidemic and prevent drug and opioid overdose deaths in our community. Current activities include:

Narcan Distribution:
Narcan (also known as naloxone) is a life-saving medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. It is safe, effective, and easy to use. It is available in a variety of ways in the Racine community.
- Syringe Access Program
- Public Health Vending Machines
- Mail Me Narcan Program
- Group and community programs:
  If you are affiliated with a business, church, non-profit, or other community group and feel that a presentation about opioid overdoses and the use of Narcan or the distribution of Narcan through your organization would be beneficial, contact the Public Health Department at PublicHealth@cityofracine.org or 262-636-9201.
Safe Medication Disposal Dropboxes:
Preventing the misuse—both intentional and unintentional—of opioids and other medications is an important step toward preventing opioid and drug overdoses.
Overdose Fatality Review Team:
A multidisciplinary team of partners including public health, law enforcement, EMS, health care, and others who regularly review the circumstances surrounding opioid and drug overdose deaths. These professions determine underlying themes among the deaths with a goal of taking actions, enacting change, and working toward policy that can prevent future overdoses.

Public Health Vending Machines

The Public Health Department operates Public Health Vending Machines to provide greater access to free, lifesaving Narcan and other public health interventions. Our Public Health Vending Machines dispense items at no cost to the recipient.

Items available from the vending machines include Narcan Nasal Spray, fentanyl test strips, xylazine test strips, hygiene kits, condoms, emergency contraception, medication disposal bags, and other items. Note: The selection of items may vary by location and throughout the year.

Public Health Vending Machine locations: