Use every tool in fight against opioid epidemic

Florida is losing its battle against the opioid epidemic. This crisis has infiltrated our communities and is targeting our loved ones without discretion. Recently, I felt its impact personally as a family friend passed away from an opioid overdose. The opioid epidemic seems distant until one day, it hits too close to home.

Too many Floridians have lost loved ones who have passed away due to an opioid overdose. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported that 21 people in Florida die from an opioid-related overdose every day.

Palm Beach County is no exception. The Emergency Medical Services in Palm Beach County responded to 3,095 opioid overdoses in 2021 and experienced a 31.2% increase in opioid overdose deaths from 2018 to 2021. This is unacceptable, and it can only get worse as synthetic opioid overdoses grow in regularity and strength.

Florida must consider several long-term approaches to address the opioid epidemic but our leaders can embrace innovative rescue agents to begin to save lives immediately. While naloxone has helped our first responders save countless lives, it now takes two to three doses to revive those who overdose using stronger synthetic opioids. New FDAapproved opioid rescue agents only require one dose to reverse stronger overdoses. But for these innovations to help our communities, Florida must update its standing order for naloxone to include all FDA-approved opioid rescue agents. Every second counts when saving a life, so we must equip our first responders with the tools they need to quickly save lives once they arrive at an overdose call.

I know how critical innovation is from a business perspective because the world is ever-changing, and competitors continue to improve. The opioid epidemic is similar because opioids are growing in strength. We must welcome innovative resources to combat this continuously evolving threat. If we do not update our resources, our community will continue to suffer, and we will continue to lose lives to opioid overdoses.

Including all FDA-approved opioid rescue agents in Florida’s standing order is not just a practical solution; it is a commitment to staying ahead of the evolving threats posed by opioids and synthetic opioids. By championing innovation and improving access to resources, we can equip our first responders to save lives and combat Florida’s opioid epidemic more effectively.

Julio Fuentes is president of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.