Deaths from prescription drugs have plunged during the first 6 months of 2012, when compared to the second half of 2011, according to the 2012 Interim Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons Report, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced Friday. Oxycodone death occurrences fell 29.1 percent while all prescription drug deaths dropped by more than 100 people.
The report shows that in the first 6 months of 2012, drugs were present or the cause of death in 4,126 people in Florida, a drop of 203 over the interim 2011 report. Despite the decrease in prescription drug deaths, those drugs continued to be found more often than illicit drugs in cause of death.
“Two years ago, Florida was the epicenter of prescription drug abuse; today we are a national role model for both enforcement and regulation,” said FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey. “We’ve made tremendous strides, but prescription drug abuse remains a significant concern.”
The drugs that caused the most deaths from Jan. – June 2012 were benzodiazepines, oxycodone, ethyl alcohol, methadone and cocaine.
Death occurrences of methadone and hydrocodone decreased 18.3 percent and 16.4 percent, respectively. Deaths caused by cocaine decreased by 11.6 percent.
