Important New Data Released on Opioid Overdose Deaths in Central Florida

 

Important New Data Released on 

Opioid Overdose Deaths in Central Florida

Over the course of the pandemic, authorities say the opioid crisis has only gotten worse and on historic levels. The CDC reports that drugs laced with Fentanyl are killing more Americans than guns, car crashes, and the flu.

To increase awareness, prevention partners at Project Opioid in Orlando recently released "The Surging Overdose Crisis in Central Florida", a report sharing new statistics on the staggering increase of fentanyl-related deaths in our community. Data shows a 28% increase in opioid deaths from the start of the pandemic to March 2021 - that amounts to 51 people a month, over a person a day.

According to the statewide initiative, the leading driver has been Fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid now showing up in fake pills in an alarming reate. As many as 4 out of 10 fake pills are now containing a lethal dose of Fentanyl.

The crisis is leading to an expansion of treatment facilities and increased use of lifesaving measures by first responders. Public safety professionals in Seminole County alone report that they have deployed Narcan, a medication used for the treatment of opioid overdose emergencies, more than 700 times to reverse the effects of death. Efforts are being made to strengthen penalties for dealers with the goal of increasing awareness to bring together new resources for saving lives.

To learn more about the accelerating overdose crisis in America and the urgent response needed to save lives, visit the Project Opioid website at:
https://projectopioid.org/