Fentanyl

With the number of overdose deaths exploding, there are calls in Congress for a national emergency declaration similar to the one at the start of COVID. Such a declaration could lead to tougher sanctions.

The two agencies will join forces with local police and the district attorney's office to ramp up efforts against fentanyl trafficking in San Francisco.

The nurse took vials of fentanyl and injected it into herself, then refilled the vials with saline solution and returned them for use during outpatient procedures, investigators said.

The White House says drug deaths linked to a mix of synthetic drugs including fentanyl and xylazine — also known as tranq — are a major public health threat. The drug cocktail is spreading fast.

At a Sarasota news conference, Attorney General Ashley Moody says xylazine is being mixed with other, more common illegal drugs, and being sold to unsuspecting users.

The Pinellas sheriff’s office told county commissioners there have been several incidents in which deputies have been exposed to harmful narcotics. The TruNarc analyzers cost $25,000 each.

Proponents say prosecutors and police need more tools to help with the fight because fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are so deadly. Others worry harsher penalties will result in even more dangerous drug supplies and punish people who really need help.

Researchers say some Mexican pharmacies that cater to U.S. tourists and medical travelers are selling medications that look safe but are laced with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamines.

Each woman has lost a child to fentanyl - two of them at age 26 and another at 36. Says one: “The message has to get out there.”

The funds will help to implement strategies and expand programs for treatment, education and support in Florida as well as establish the DCF Office of Opioid Recovery.