Florida Issues Public Safety Warning of Fentanyl Overdose While Test Strips Remain Illegal

Florida remains counterintuitive regarding the Fentanyl overdose rise, despite slothful efforts at progress.

As the current leading cause of death in the United States for individuals 18 to 45, fentanyl overdoses have become nothing short of a waking nightmare. In a recent press conference addressing these climbing overdose statistics, the First Lady of Florida pledged her commitment to reversing this scary and lethal trend, caused by street variations of the drug mainly manufactured overseas.

“Too many individuals are losing their lives because of illicit drugs and substance abuse,” proclaimed First Lady Casey DeSantis. “It is primarily being manufactured in China and pouring across our southern border. It is imperative that Floridians know the risks and understand that just two milligrams can be lethal. Stopping drug dealers and helping Floridians overcome the challenges of addiction and preventing overdose deaths is a significant priority for us all.”

Unfortunately, although this proclamation is fine and dandy, the FDA-approved fentanyl testing strips remain illegal in Florida. Despite this dubious logic, the Bunk Police ship anywhere and everywhere domestic, dexterously circumventing restrictive and counterintuitive legislation. Not all heroes wear capes, and the Bunk Police are living proof.

On the brighter side, earlier this year a law titled “SB 544” was ratified, granting Floridians the ability to go directly to pharmacists to receive Narcan. Prior to SB 544, civilians were required to go through law enforcement to obtain Narcan, the revolutionary and life-saving overdose antivenom of sorts. A few steps backward, a few steps forwards – but we faithfully chug along.

To review your resources regarding fentanyl and a fentanyl overdose, venture below.

[1] 2020 Medical Examiners Commission Drug Report. Available at: 2020 Annual Drug Report

[2] Florida Department of Health (2022) Bureau of Vital Statistics.

[3] Life-Saving Naloxone from Pharmacies. (2019). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/naloxone/index.html

[4] Harm Reduction TO — Naloxone: Overdose Reversal https://harmreductionto.ca/naloxone

[5] Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit. (2018). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma18-4742.pdf

[6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fentanyl Facts. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/fentanyl/index.html

[7] US Drug Enforcement Administration, Available at: Fentanyl (dea.gov)

[8] National Institute on Drug Abuse, Available at: Fentanyl | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

[9] ID. 3

[10] Public Health warns of rise in opioid overdose visits to emergency departments, November 24, 2021. Available at https://clark.wa.gov/public-health/public-health-warns-rise-opioid-overdose-visits-emergency-departments

[11] DEA warns of sharp increase in fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl and meth, September 28, 2021. Available at: DEA warns of sharp increase in fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl and meth – CNN

[12] US Drug Enforcement Administration. Available at Drug Fact Sheet: Fentanyl (dea.gov)