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Florida Drug & Alcohol Facts

By Dr. Brian Wind Ph.D.
3 FAQ

JourneyPure.com doctors follow rigorous sourcing guidelines and cite only trustworthy sources of information, including peer-reviewed journals, count records, academic organizations, highly regarded nonprofit organizations, government reports and their own expertise with decades in the field and their own personal recovery.

  • Healthy Start. Florida Health; Florida Department of Health. Retrieved 8/24/21, from http://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/healthy-start/

  • Miranda, L., Dickson, V., & Reyes, S. (2015, September 30). How States Handle Drug Use During Pregnancy. ProPublica. https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/maternity-drug-policies-by-state

  • NIDA. 2020, April 3. Florida: Opioid-Involved Deaths and Related Harms. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state/florida-opioid-involved-deaths-related-harms on 2021, September 1

  • Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Annual Report 2019-2020. Florida Health; Florida Department of Health. Retrieved 8/24/21, from http://www.floridahealth.gov/statistics-and-data/e-forcse/news-reports/2020-pdmp-annual-report1.pdf

  • The 2021 Florida Statutes. Online Sunshine; The Florida Legislature. Retrieved 8/22/21, from http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0893/Sections/0893.13.html

  • (2019). 2018-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Model-Based Prevalence Estimates (50 States and the District of Columbia). SAMHSA. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt32805/2019NSDUHsaeExcelPercents/2019NSDUHsaeExcelPercents/2019NSDUHsaePercents.pdf

  • (2021, February 12). Drug Overdose Mortality by State. CDC; Center for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/drug_poisoning_mortality/drug_poisoning.htm

  • (2021). 2020 Florida Statutes. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/florida/2020/title-xlvi/chapter-893/section-893-055/

Disclaimer

All content is for informational purposes only. No material on this site, whether from our doctors or the community, is a substitute for seeking personalized professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard advice from a qualified healthcare professional or delay seeking advice because of something you read on this website.

The latest SAMHSA data reports 1.2 million Floridians struggle with substance abuse. That's 3 of every 50 people in the state and a sharp increase previous years. You're in the best place to learn about the addiction problem in Florida and get your questions answered.
Florida Substance Abuse Topics
  • Florida Drug Statistics
  • Florida Drug Laws - Possession & Trafficking
  • Florida Drug Testing Laws
  • More About Florida Substance Abuse

Florida Drug Statistics

Florida #2 for Overdose Deaths last year.
The Sunshine State had the second highest number of drug overdose deaths in the nation, with 5,268 deaths last year alone.
Florida exceeds national average for opioid prescribing rate.
Florida doctors wrote 53.7 opioid prescriptions for every 100 persons, which is higher than the national average of 51.4 prescriptions.
Almost 2 million Floridians use illicit drugs at least once per month.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 1,979,000 Floridians admitted to using illicit substances in the past month

Florida Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

For many years, Florida doctors were notorious for overprescribing drugs, especially opioids. More recently, the state has put multiple laws in place to prevent the over prescription and spread of opioid addiction.

The availability of prescription drugs in Florida has gone down in recent years thanks to E-FORCSE, a prescription drug monitoring database that prevents individuals from obtaining multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors.

  • Doctors are writing fewer opioid prescriptions- Number of prescriptions has gone down 5.5%
  • Doctors are prescribing less powerful opioids – Prescriptions are 14.6% less powerful compared to last year

However, constricting the supply of prescription opioids on the street causes some people to switch to heroin when prescription opioids become harder to obtain.

Florida Drug Laws - Possession & Trafficking

Having drugs in your possession is a serious crime in Florida. Florida drug possession laws are divided into five schedules. The severity of the punishment depends on:

  1. The schedule of the drug that you possess
  2. The amount of the substance you possess
  3. Any prior criminal convictions (especially drug-related)

Florida Drug Schedules 1-V

ScheduleDescriptionExamples
Schedule IHigh potential for abuse, No medical useHeroin, Cannabis (unless prescribed), LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin Mushrooms
Schedule IIHigh potential for abuse, Restricted medical useCocaine, Methamphetamine, Oxycodone, Morphine, Codeine, Fentanyl, Carfentanil
Schedule IIISome potential for abuse, Accepted for medical useBuprenorphine, Anabolic Steroids
Schedule IVLow potential for abuse, Accepted for medical useXanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan
Schedule VLowest potential for abuse, Accepted for medical useCombination medications with low dose narcotics Ex. (tylenol + codeine)

Because of the state’s physical location and geography, Florida is one of the nation’s top drug trafficking hot spots. The laws for dealing or trafficking drugs are based on the same drug scheduling system as possession.

Punishment for Drug Trafficking in Florida

SchedulePunishment for simple possession (small amounts)Punishment for selling, dealing or manufacturing
Schedule IFelony (3rd Degree)Felony (2nd Degree)
Schedule IIFelony (3rd Degree)Felony (2nd Degree)
Schedule IIIFelony (3rd Degree)Felony (3rd Degree)
Schedule IVFelony (3rd Degree)Felony (3rd Degree)
Schedule VMisdemeanor (1st Degree)Misdemeanor (1st Degree)

Although marijuana is a schedule I drug, penalties for possession and distribution are less harsh.

Florida Drug Testing Laws

Florida also has laws on the books surrounding drug testing.

Florida Newborn Drug Testing Laws

Using drugs while pregnant can have disastrous consequences for the child. There are no specific criminal charges for abusing drugs while pregnant in Florida, it falls under the definition of child abuse.

Florida’s Healthy Start program is designed to address substance abuse during pregnancy by giving information, resources and an opportunity for treatment to expecting mothers that struggle with addiction.

Doctors refer expecting mothers to Healthy Start if they if they suspect substance abuse, based on:

  • Their own declaration or their responses to drug-related questions
  • Positive drug test
  • Reported by family member or friend
  • Medical staff who witness drug use or patterns of drug use
  • The infant is found to be exposed to illicit drugs in the womb

Florida Drug Testing for Welfare

Florida does not conduct random drug tests on welfare recipients, but the state can test you if they suspect you are abusing substances while on welfare.

Lawmakers in Florida instituted random drug testing for welfare recipients in 2011. Florida drug testing welfare statistics determined the law was not successful and was repealed just a few months later when the courts declared it unconstitutional.

The Top 5 Florida Substance Abuse Articles

  • What is the Marchman Act?
  • What is the Baker Act?
  • Does Florida Have Drug Testing for Welfare?

More About Florida Substance Abuse

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  • What is the Marchman Act?

    The Marchman Act, more formally known as Florida’s Substance Abuse Impairment Act, is a Florida law that governs both voluntary…
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    Dr. Brian Wind Ph.D.
    (2)
  • What is the Baker Act?

    The Florida Mental Health Act of 1971 (known as the Baker Act) provides an emergency mental health assessment and a…
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    Dr. Brian Wind Ph.D.
    (1)
  • Does Florida Have Drug Testing for Welfare?

    Florida does not conduct drug tests on all welfare applicants, but can legally do so if there is reason to…
    Read More
    Dr. Brian Wind Ph.D.
    (0)
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