Opioids

Attorney General Ashley Moody wanted the Florida Supreme Court to resolve a legal battle about whether local agencies could pursue lawsuits after she reached settlements with the pharmaceutical industry.

More than 1 million Americans use Medicaid to get addiction treatments like methadone. But as states update their systems, some patients have lost coverage. Even a short gap can be life-threatening.

Overdose deaths have soared, and every state is being impacted. But research suggests states that haven’t expanded Medicaid coverage, such as Florida, are passing up an opportunity to lessen the toll.

CORE, a substance abuse and recovery network established in 2022, will cover 17 more counties, including Lake, Orange, Polk and Seminole, for a total of 29.

Illegal supplies of fentanyl are being cut with xylazine, a powerful horse tranquilizer. Overdoses involving this veterinary sedative are growing nationally and now Florida officials are tracking the deaths.

A report based on millions of urine drug tests found the United States is facing a rise in the use of multiple drugs at once, which not only is often more deadly but complicates treatment efforts.

The researchers found that between 2020 and 2022, the percentage of overdose deaths with evidence of smoking rose 74%. Meanwhile, the percentage of deaths with evidence of injection fell 29%.

As national distributors and pharmacies restricted the flow of painkillers in response to the opioid crisis, Publix did the opposite, according to a Tampa Bay Times/KFF Health News data analysis.

BayCare is getting close to half of Pasco's initial share of opioid settlement dollars. Eight other groups will also receive money to combat drug addiction in the county.

The surgical drug is being prescribed as a psychedelic therapy for an array of unapproved uses, including depression and anxiety. Behind the trend are investors setting up for-profit clinics.

For the first time in 10 years, Central Florida counties saw a decrease in opioid overdose deaths.

Previously Citrus residents had to travel to other counties in the region to access drugs like methadone, which can reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms in patients.