As drug-related deaths have increased in Florida, one drug is causing more deaths than any other, the latest data from the Florida Medical Examiners Commission shows.
Fentanyl, a synthetic prescription opioid that is often produced illegally, caused 5,302 deaths in the state in 2020, a 63% increase from a year before, the commission’s 2020 report released in November says. It was the second-most common drug found in the deceased behind alcohol, and no other drug saw such a dramatic increase in deaths from 2019 to 2020.
Broward County saw the highest number of fentanyl-related deaths in the state, according to the report, with 642 total deaths where fentanyl was detected. Palm Beach County had the second highest number in the state with 634. Miami-Dade County had a total of 334.
Read more from our news partner at The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
