Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass, and Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods issued a dire warning today following the release of new statewide drug death data.
According to the 2022 Florida Medical Examiners’ Drugs in Deceased Persons Annual Report, more than 6,200 people died from fentanyl use in 2022.
The report also shows that for the first time since 2018, the total number of drug-related deaths in Florida has decreased by 3%.
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However, the number of people dying from drug overdoses remains high, and it is exacerbated by illicit fentanyl flooding across the United States’ Southwest Border.
The report found that fentanyl killed more than 6,200 Floridians, a 3% decrease from 2021. Overall, opioid-related deaths dropped 5%.
“Illicit fentanyl from Mexico is killing more than 100,000 Americans every year. In Florida, we are fighting back with coordinated criminal interdiction efforts, opioid reversal medications and innovative treatment approaches. While there is hopeful news in the latest data—we will never end this catastrophic crisis until Biden closes the border and those struggling with addiction seek help. While my office continues to prosecute drug traffickers and fight in court to force Biden to secure the border, I am encouraging anyone struggling with drug addiction to please seek help. You can find resources at DoseOfRealityFL.com,” said Moody.
Fentanyl is commonly found in pill, powder, and liquid forms. In 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than 78 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder, the highest number ever seized in one year.
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“Fentanyl is everywhere, in every Florida community and it continues to be one of the top threats we face. Because the influx of illegal immigration and smuggling at the Southern Border, we are all on the frontlines of this national crisis, even in Florida. But with the support of Attorney General Ashley Moody, we are doing everything we can to protect our Florida communities,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass.
More than 7 out of every 10 fentanyl-laced, counterfeit prescription pills seized now contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, up from 2021. The DEA also reports that fentanyl seizures in 2024 have already exceeded 41 million lethal doses, which is enough to kill more than California’s entire population.
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