Opioids have made their mark in Florida, especially during the strange time of “pill mills,” heroin, and now fentanyl. The opioid crisis in Florida continues with the rise in fentanyl and overdose deaths due to its high potency and lacing.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug similar to morphine, but 50 to 100 times stronger. It is made and used illegally, despite being a prescription drug. It is used to treat chronic pain. Fentanyl is also known to be a drug used for pain management in cancer patients.
The 2018 National Drug Threat by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the most recent installment of the annual report, as 2019 has not been assessed. However, it is still relevant and gives insight into fentanyl in Florida and across the country.
Combined with other sources, we will take an in-depth look into fentanyl in Florida, its effects, and its impact in the state. Also, how to get help for opioid addiction in Florida.
Fentanyl in Florida: An Inside Look
The 2018 DEA report summarizes fentanyl and other synthetic opioids by stating:
“Illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids — primarily sourced from China and Mexico—are now the most lethal category of opioids used in the United States. Traffickers— wittingly or unwittingly— are increasingly selling fentanyl to users without mixing it with any other controlled substances and are also increasingly selling fentanyl in the form of counterfeit prescription pills. Fentanyl suppliers will continue to experiment with new fentanyl-related substances and adjust supplies in attempts to circumvent new regulations imposed by the United States, China, and Mexico.”
Many overdose deaths are “mixtures” of several opioids or other substances. The 2018 DEA found that fentanyl was present in overdose deaths combined with other substances, notably heroin and semi-synthetic prescription drugs. In 2016, Florida was the only state in the top 10 fentanyl overdoses to be linked with fentanyl and semi-synthetic overdose death cases, possibly due to Florida’s history of high prescription substance abuse.
Source: DEA
According to the 2018 Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners Annual Report (published November 2019):
“The drugs that caused the most deaths were fentanyl (2,348), cocaine (1,644), benzodiazepines (1,136, including 664 alprazolam deaths), morphine (1,102), fentanyl analogs (874), ethyl alcohol (866), and heroin (806). Fentanyl (87 percent), heroin (86 percent), fentanyl analogs (83 percent), morphine (59 percent), methamphetamine (59 percent), cocaine (58 percent), and methadone (57 percent) were listed as causing death in more than 50 percent of the deaths in which these drugs were found.”
Also according to the report, “occurrences of fentanyl increased by 29.5 percent (615 more) and deaths caused by fentanyl increased by 35 percent (605 more.”
The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (FADAA) released a substance abuse trends alert, stating while the overdose deaths in prescription drugs have slightly gone down, fatalities with fentanyl sharply increased, and new strategies will be needed to combat this epidemic.
How to Get Help for Fentanyl and Other Opioid Addictions in Florida
Fentanyl in Florida is just one of many trends across the country. As overdose deaths increase every year, and new mixtures of deadly substances arise, it is easy to become a statistic. However, that doesn’t have to be you. Get the help you need, as it is possible to overcome opioid addiction.
If you or someone you know is suffering from opioid addiction, with a history of using fentanyl, heroin, prescription drugs, or any other opioids, contact On Call Treatment FL at 1-855-492-1515.