The health and safety vending machine at the Isla Vista Community Center is the only one of its kind in the state according to Isla vista Community Services District representative Sydney Castaneda.
"We’ve learned that the community really needs this resource, We have seen over 550 transactions within the last five months," said Castaneda.
"I see, you know, the student age, younger people as well as, older people and people who look like, you know, perhaps, or living rough," said Isla Vista resident Jeff Bard.
The machine provides 24/7 anonymous access to essential harm reduction and health supplies, free of charge.
"Our most popular items are emergency contraceptives, Narcan, and safe syringe kits. All of those are ranging about 175 transactions in the past five months. For each of those," explains Castaneda.
Data collected by IVCSD through anonymous feedback surveys shows the machine is mostly used by women between the ages of 18-28 from across the county, with the most popular product being emergency contraceptives.
"We'll be adding additional condoms that will be available along with the emergency contraceptives," said Castaneda.
In the survey, users repeatedly requested more clean syringes, which could be for a multitude of reasons according to Castaneda.
"It could be for drug use, but it can also be for medical purposes, whether that's, people needing it for insulin. That’s an incredibly expensive, resource that people need. And so maybe they're coming here for that. So we just don't know. That's the beauty of the resource. It's anonymous," explains Castaneda.
Fentanyl tests and Narcan are provided by the Aegis Treatment Center and covered by the state’s opioid response grant. Syringes, STI testing, and emergency contraceptives are provided by Pacific Pride Foundation. And the end of this week, the machine will also have drink testing kits.
"Alcohol is the number one drug that is used to facilitate sexual assaults," said Karla Huizar with STESA, Stand Together to End Sexual Assault.
Huizar says 75% of sexual assault cases in Santa Barbara and Isla Vista include alcohol and drugs like GHB, Roofies, and Ketamine.
"And while those are used to spike, alcohol is the number one drug that is used to alter drinks. So adding shots or adding additional alcohol to already alcoholic beverages," explains Huizar.
In anticipation of Deltopia on April 5th, STESA is partnering with IVCSD to add 125 free drink testing kits to the vending machine, costing IVCSD around $900.
