drug overdoses

Illegal supplies of fentanyl are being cut with xylazine, a powerful horse tranquilizer. Overdoses involving this veterinary sedative are growing nationally and now Florida officials are tracking the deaths.

The researchers found that between 2020 and 2022, the percentage of overdose deaths with evidence of smoking rose 74%. Meanwhile, the percentage of deaths with evidence of injection fell 29%.

Law enforcement officials say they are cracking down on people who sell fentanyl. Despite those efforts, overdose deaths remain high.

Florida was among eight states that had sizeable decreases after reporting some of the highest overdose death rates. But experts caution that overdose deaths could rise again due to things like scaling back telehealth services.

The nasal spray version of naloxone is already available without a prescription in all states. But switching it to over-the-counter status would allow it to be sold in vending machines, supermarkets and other locations.

The plan is for health departments in all 67 counties to have kits with two Narcan nasal sprays that can be administered without a health care provider.

Dr. Jason Wilson says African Americans as well as low-income and other vulnerable populations are being affected by fentanyl overdoses "at a much higher disproportionate rate" than others.

The recent fentanyl deaths in Gadsden County were so alarming they drew the attention of nearly every state agency to the county for a recent roundtable.

First lady Casey DeSantis joined Gadsden Sheriff Morris Young and other state and local officials to address the issue. The state is ramping up messaging as part of efforts to prevent mass overdoses.

Drug-related mortality rates have increased in prisons and jails even as the number of people incarcerated for drug offenses has dropped. The pandemic lockdowns on visitors didn’t eliminate the problem, showcasing that guards have been a source of the contraband.