Florida
Decrease in drug-related deaths in Florida gives new glimmer of hope to families affected by addiction
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A recent report by the Florida Medical Examiner’s Commission revealed a slight decrease in the number of drug-related deaths in 2022, bringing a new glimmer of hope for families who have loved ones battling drug addiction.
A local parent who lost a son to fentanyl said the 3% decline in fentanyl deaths in Florida is progress.
“There is a very long way to go with it. Every single life is worth it. But if we get the word out and continue to see a decrease in fentanyl deaths, then our goal is met,” Carroll Miniard said.
Miniard knows all too well about the pain of losing a child to a fentanyl overdose.
“I would never wish this on any parent. To lose your child. It’s the worst possible nightmare,” Miniard said.
RELATED | ‘Your family is not immune’: Mother knows pain of losing loved one to drug addiction
Back in 2019, her son Evan was battling a drug addiction following a car crash that left him in pain. When prescription pain medication wasn’t enough, he turned to street drugs. His life ended when he used heroin that was laced with fentanyl.
“It was two policemen from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office when I opened the front door. We all went to the door together because we just knew something wasn’t right on a Sunday night in 2019,” Miniard said.
According to the recently released final report on drug deaths by the Florida Medical Examiner’s Commission, the year after Evan’s death, 5,302 people in Florida died from fentanyl. The following year, the number jumped to 5,791. Then in 2022, fatalities dropped to 5,522.
“It’s a low percentage but it’s something. It’s giving me hope. It’s giving other families hope. There’s hopefully an end to this crisis,” Miniard said.
Federal prosecutors said factors that led to the 3% drop include indictments of Chinese companies and individuals who supply Mexican drug cartels with chemicals used to produce fentanyl. Other contributing factors were the increase in criminal convictions for fentanyl trafficking and distribution.
MORE | The US sanctions Mexican Sinaloa cartel members and firms over fentanyl trafficking
There was also an increase in seizures of fentanyl powder and pills, seizures that have not slowed down.
According to the DEA’s tracker of fentanyl seizures across the U.S., as of Monday, 11.7 million fentanyl pills and 730 pounds of fentanyl powder have been seized since the beginning of the year. But in reality, the numbers are likely much higher when you add fentanyl seizures from local law enforcement agencies.
To Miniard, the seizure numbers represent something else.
“That’s lives that are being saved and we can’t put a price on that,” Miniard said.
RELATED | Opioid addiction: This story is bigger than me
If you or anyone you know has a drug addiction problem, please seek help.
You can call the Florida Addiction Hotline at 866-210-1303.
Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A quiet Monday turned into a frantic race against time when a deputy stepped in to save a choking 1-year-old’s life.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a 1-year-old baby choking. Upon arrival, the responding deputy performed life-saving procedures to help the child breathe again.
See also: Two arrested after 6-year-old arrives at Florida school with bruises, deputies say
Body camera video shows a deputy holding the baby, flipping it over on its stomach, and beginning to pat the baby’s back.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
When the baby begins to cry, the deputy is heard saying, “he’s good.”
-
News10 minutes agoReal estate investors are buying up long-term care facilities. Residents can suffer
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoFormer Piston shows Detroit what they’re missing as he dominates next to LeBron
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoEastbound I-80 closure in San Francisco snarls traffic, slows business
-
Videos2 hours agoCan Keir Starmer survive the latest Mandelson revelations? | BBC News
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoPetar Musa’s Brace Not Enough as FC Dallas Draws LA Galaxy 2-2
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoMLS: Messi double helps Inter Miami slay Rapids in front of huge crowd
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoFrom across Boston they flock to play for Latin Academy boys’ tennis, a co-op of 29 schools – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoDale Kistler Obituary | The Denver Post