Heroin Overdoses Up In Florida

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Total drug-related deaths in Florida increased by 13.9 percent in the first half of 2015 compared to the first half of 2014. “Deaths caused by heroin increased by 114.8 percent (171 more) compared with the first half of 2014,” according to a Florida Medical Examiners Commission report released Monday.

The interim report draws data from counties across Florida to paint a picture of the Sunshine State’s drug-related deaths. While the new report covers all drug-related deaths, lawmakers from the Florida delegation intend to meet on Thursday in Washington, D.C., to specifically address the state’s “heroin crisis.”

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, and U.S. Rep. Alcee L. Hastings, D-Florida, serve as co-chairs of Florida’s Congressional Delegation. The two announced Tuesday plans to hold the bipartisan meeting to hone in on possible solutions to tackle the state’s rising heroin-related death statistics.

“I’m hopeful that bringing the Florida delegation together will help pass important legislation to combat heroin abuse,” Buchanan told Patch. “As the third largest congressional delegation in Congress, Florida carries a lot of clout and can have a positive impact on addressing this national crisis. The time to act is now because too many of our loved ones are being taken from us by this growing epidemic.”

Buchanan also has the distinction of being Manatee County’s representative in Congress. The county is considered by many to be the epicenter of Florida’s heroin crisis. In 2014, Manatee County had more heroin overdose deaths per capita than any other county in the state.

“Countless families in Florida and across the country have borne witness to the tragic consequences of drug addiction and opiate abuse,” Buchanan said. “The growing heroin crisis requires a serious and comprehensive approach by Congress. I look forward to discussing thoughtful solutions with my colleagues and experts on Thursday.”

The Florida Medical Examiners Commission report outlines the number of heroin-related deaths by medical examiner districts, rather than county. In the Tampa Bay area, the number of deaths between January and June 2015 were reported as follows:

• Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties – 34 with 29 of those deaths attributed to heroin and 5 with heroin present
• Hillsborough County – 19 with 17 deaths attributed to heroin as the cause and two with heroin present
• Pinellas and Pasco counties – 8 with 7 attributed to heroin and 1 with heroin present

Statewide, 343 deaths with heroin involved were recorded between January and June 2015. Of those deaths, 320 were caused by heroin, the state’s report said.

Nationally, it is estimated that 125 Americans die from drug overdoses daily.

Thursday’s Florida Congressional Delegation meeting will also include such panelists as U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wisconsin, who has authored an anti-drug bill, Bradenton's Centerstone Behavioral Hospital’s Melissa Larkin-Skinner, chief clinical officer; and Frank C. Rabbito, senior vice president of the WestCare Foundation in Miami. A Miami resident currently in recovery from heroin addiction is also expected to address the delegation.

To view the entire Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners Interim Report 2015, visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement online.

What do you think should be done to curb rising heroin overdose numbers? Share your ideas by commenting below.

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