Florida medical examiners say fentanyl, heroin deaths up in ’16

More people died in Florida from a fentantyl overdose during the first half of 2016 than ever before. The synthetic narcotic killed more than 700 people between January and June 2016 — nearly the same as it did in all of 2015. It killed more people than any other drug, and almost twice as many as heroin.

The dramatic statistics were released Friday in an annual midyear statewide medical examiners’ report, detailing what local leaders and lawmakers have been saying for months: The opioid epidemic hasn’t missed Florida.

On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott declared a statewide public health emergency, opening up $27 million in federal funds to help fight the problem.

He made the announcement a day after Orange County leaders testified before state legislators that the government isn’t doing enough to help — and they detailed just how bad the epidemic has hit Central Florida.

Aspire Health Partners, the region’s largest provider for substance abuse and mental illness treatment, said the number of people seeking help has climbed from 667 three years ago to nearly 1,400 last year.

According to the medical examiners’ report, heroin deaths were slightly down across Orange and Osceola counties during the first half of 2016. The drug was listed as the cause of just 34 deaths, compared to 42 during the same time the previous year.

But that differs from the statewide numbers, which increased from 320 heroin overdose deaths during the beginning of 2015 to 406 in 2016. The reason for the local decrease isn’t clear, but last year, several Central Florida law enforcement agencies began equipping officers with the anti-overdose drug, naloxone. So far, it’s credited with saving at least 78 lives.

The federal grant money Scott’s order opened up will likely be used to expand medication-assisted treatment programs and increase access to naloxone. It also will help increase the services for mothers of drug-addicted newborns.