The numbers are staggering and they demand to be said plainly: over 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022. The number remained catastrophically high in 2023 and 2024. Fentanyl — a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine — had become the dominant driver, finding its way into counterfeit pills, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs.
The opioid crisis is now in its third distinct chapter: from prescription painkillers, to heroin, to fentanyl. Each chapter has been deadlier than the last.
Florida's Position
Florida has been significantly impacted by the opioid crisis. Tampa and surrounding communities have seen the crisis up close. Local organizations, hospitals, and first responders have been on the front lines for years.
The Legal Accountability
Major pharmaceutical companies reached multi-billion dollar settlements in recent years over their roles in fueling the prescription opioid epidemic. The Sackler family, which owned Purdue Pharma, reached a controversial settlement that shielded family members from personal civil liability — a deal that was challenged in courts and eventually revised.
This is a crisis that deserves attention, not shame. Communities that care for each other save lives.