Florida Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Another developing drug abuse epidemic in the region is that of prescription drugs. In a recent study, medical examiners found that at least 5 people die on a daily basis due to drug overdose. Of these prescription drugs, the most prominent ones are Oxycontin and Vicodin.

Within the last decade, ER’s in the state of Florida have witnessed a seismic change in the number of drug overdose cases – far from what was obtainable in say, the 1990’s Florida State’s ERs have become beehives for drug overdose cases. Night in night out, State officials battle with what seems to be a case of unending overdose calls. In Palm Beach County, for instance, nearly 5,000 overdose calls were recorded in just 2016. Statistics from other Counties are no better, a fact that is made apparent by Governor Rick Scott’s declaration of an opioid epidemic earlier in May.

Florida is not new to the drug scene if anything the state has had its fair share of the malaise that is substance abuse. The 1980’s Miami drug wars, the pill mill boom in the mid-2000s and their less than pleasing societal consequences still resonate in the background of the state’s history. And while these now fit the tag of past drug events, it goes without saying that they set a precedent for the manifestation of the current Florida drug epidemic.

In 2017, Florida had 5,088 drug overdoses that resulted in death, as reported by the CDC.

According to a recent study conducted at the University of South Florida, the number of drug overdoses are being grossly underestimated by the CDC. This means that the drug problem in the state of Florids is much greater than we realize and the need for treatment is growing.

Addiction Laws in Florida

To help people get treatment, the State of Florida implemented the Marchman Act, also known as Florida’s Substance Abuse Impairment Act. This law allows a loved one to petition Florida courts to order monitored intervention assessment stabilization or detox for someone who refuses to get help themselves. If you are a spouse or blood relative of someone who has an addiction and they refuse to get help, this is an option you should consider.

Florida also has special courts, known as drug courts, which are designed to address cases involving drug charges. Through these courts, offenders can be offered an alternative to jail that requires attending a treatment program. The individual must pass regular drug tests, meet with a judge for periodic follow-ups, and might be required to maintain employment. Being able to avoid jail is often a successful incentive for the individual to proceed with the treatment plan.

Learn more about Florida’s Drug Courts

Addiction in South Florida

One of the biggest health concerns in South Florida is the growing number of drug and alcohol-related problems. Over the past few years, the number of cases of addiction has steadily increased, and it is very important that treatment is provided for those suffering from addiction in order to help resolve these pressing issues in the region.

However, there is evidence showing that drug and alcohol abuse in South Florida demands attention. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health stated that 437,000 Florida citizens reported illicit drug dependence (or abuse) from 2005 to date, which is 3.9% of total Florida residents. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services reported that a high percentage of teenagers and older used illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, hallucinogens, inhalants, and non-medical use of prescription drugs, etc.

Also, Alcohol abuse is a rising cause for concern in South Florida. More than 22 % of youth participated in binge drinking at least once in that month (measured by 5 or more drinks at a specific time). Astonishingly, 10% of teens in South Florida, from ages 12 to 17, are currently binge drinkers. The Office of National Drug Control Policy indicated that most adults were arrested on drug charges in 2007, while 58,000 adults were arrested for DUI that same year.

The Drug Epidemic in Florida

The Florida drug epidemic is a unique case scenario that cuts across all gender, race, and socioeconomic divide. Quite unlike most other drug endemics, its foundation lies in an age long medical practice – prescription painkillers. The turn of the 21st century saw a marked increase in the availability and subsequent usage of these drugs as a relief from chronic pain, a condition affecting approx. 100 million Americans – their palliative rather than curative nature, however, assured their continuous use. Continuous use eventually transformed to additive use, and in no time, a thriving market fostered by unscrupulous medical practitioners and their clinics emerged to cater to growing demand for painkillers.

2011 pill mill clamp down sought to put an end to the indiscriminate use of these drugs, however like many other anti-drug campaigns; it focused on the more on eradicating the supply than curbing the demand. The following scarcity of prescription painkillers and their now heightened price point meant that Florida natives had to source for cheaper and more readily available alternatives to satisfy their drug cravings – effectively kick-starting the current Florida drug epidemic.

The Florida Opioid Epidemic

Over the past decade, opioid use and abuse have been rising across the country. Florida has been one of the states hit hardest by the opioid epidemic, with overdose rates more than doubling from 2014 to 2016.

It’s not just Heroin and cocaine taking the headlines anymore, synthetic and more potent derivative drugs have since infiltrated the Florida cynosure; with their increased potency also comes an increase in overdose cases and mortality. Two analogues of Heroin, Fentanyl, and Carfentanil, have been the major contenders for the best new act; in combination, they were responsible for about 754 deaths in 2016 according to medical examiner records.

While Heroin and cocaine still account for a significant number of drug addiction cases, with the former causing the death of some 216 palm county residents in 2016, the more recent drug entries in the Florida drug epidemic are proving to be just as lethal. Drugs like Flakka notorious for its insane highs and paranoia take the definition of cheap yet potent to a new level; at $5 per dose the Chinese synthetic crystal proves that big things do come in little packages. Additionally, fentanyl abuse and overdoses have spiked.

Aside from the sky-rocketing number of drug-related deaths, the Florida drug epidemic has its toll on adverse economic impacts; between 2010 and 2015, the cumulative charge for treating Heroin-related cases was a whopping $5.7 billion. An additional $967 million in cost was charged for attending to babies addicted to Heroin – one of the more bizarre manifestations of the Florida drug situation.