By Chris Elkins
Abuse of heroin and other opiates is rising in the SW Florida area, and local organizations are working hard to combat it.
Deaths from drug overdoses hit record numbers in the U.S. in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase is attributed to a record number of opiate overdoses. Opiates are drugs, such as prescription painkillers and heroin, made from chemicals found in the opium plant.
The drugs were involved in more than 1,367 deaths in Florida in 2014, according to the most recent Medical Examiners Commission Drug Report. The number of deaths caused by heroin increased by 111.4 percent compared to numbers reported in 2013, but deaths caused by oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone slightly decreased, according to the report.
In the Fort Myers medical examiner district, which includes Glades, Hendry and Lee counties, 30 people died with heroin in their systems in 2014. That’s a drastic increase from 12 deaths involving heroin in 2013 and just three deaths involving heroin in 2012, according to the report.
Local citizens have taken it upon themselves to help the community combat the problem.
The Lee County Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida hosts and supports several events aimed at preventing drug abuse in Lee County, including town hall meetings, lunch-and-learn events, and the Busey Bank Run for Prevention in October, according to the organization’s website.
The Gulf Coast Area of Narcotics Anonymous hosts several meetings every day of the week in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Pine Island and Lehigh Acres. The support groups help individuals in recovery from addiction using a 12-step approach.
Other organizations in Fort Myers, such as the PACE Center for Girls at 3800 Evans Avenue and a variety of drug rehabilitation and addiction treatment centers, can help individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction.
For more information on recovery and support options in Fort Myers, visit https://www.drugrehab.com/florida/fort-myers/.
Chris Elkins writes for DrugRehab.com — a comprehensive resource for addiction-related topics, from substances that cause addiction to treatment options for recovery.
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, December 18). Drug overdose deaths hit record numbers in 2014 [Press release]. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p1218-drug-overdose.html
Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (2015, September). Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners. Retrieved from https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/cms/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2014-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL.aspx
Lee County Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from http://www.drugfreeswfl.org/home.html
Narcotics Anonymous. (2016, February 25). Gulf Coast – Meeting List. Retrieved from http://www.nagulfcoastfla.org/meeting-list-1
Pace. (n.d.). About PACE Lee. Retrieved from http://www.pacecenter.org/locations/lee